


Cosmic Kiss

by WaxRhapsodic



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Abduction, Alien Biology, Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Invasion, Alternate Universe - Aliens, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Angst, Charles Being Concerned, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Charles is a Professor, Courtship, Erik Logic Is The Best Logic, Eventual Romance, Honestly Charles What Are You Thinking, Kidnapping, M/M, Misunderstandings, Obsession, Protective Erik, Stalking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-28
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2018-08-27 14:31:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 88,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8405176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaxRhapsodic/pseuds/WaxRhapsodic
Summary: A series of inexplicable events cause noted scientist Charles Xavier to be called in to consult for the CIA on a very unusual case. The fate of the world, and his heart, rest in the balance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CoralQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoralQueen/gifts).



> Many thanks to Evangeline74 for inspiring this fic through sheer flattery, you're a doll :)

There are moments in time that can never be forgotten, Moments that change us as people. Charles had experienced a great many of those in his 28 years on Earth. The death of his father. Losing his mother to the bottle. His hellish childhood growing up under the thumb of Kurt Marko alongside Cain. The life changing terror of September 11.

That last one was the event that continuously ricochet through his mind as he watched Times Square blink out. In an instant it went from a bright, rushing metropolis to a dead standstill. There was no buildup to it, no moment of warning. Traffic stopped and the lights went down in the blink of an eye. There was a long moment of echoing silence before chaos broke loose. People were panicked and enraged. But no one had a clue as to what was going on.

Charles grasped for his phone in his pocket to find it a cold, useless lump of metal. It was 10:19 on a Tuesday morning. He only knew that because his father’s old wristwatch continued ticking comfortably on his right wrist. As with all the momentous moments that came before, Charles knew his life would never be the same.

~~

It had been a week since the first black out. It had lasted for exactly 15 minutes. It had encompassed the globe. That last bit of news wasn’t even the most disturbing bit.

Hospitals had kept electricity, but so had the homes of bedridden patients. Not kept electricity as much as the machines the patients depended on to survive had continued running without it. Everyone was baffled. Doctors, scientists, politicians, and holy men all had their say. Preaching the evils of global warming, the signs of the end times, blaming other nations for what some called a massive cyber attack. Charles didn’t know what to believe, but none of those explanations seemed quite right for some reason.

The second blackout came four days after the first. It lasted for exactly ten minutes. Planes hovered in the air unmoving, like models strung with hobby wire from the clear blue sky. Charles had heard the reports of planes gliding along with no equipment or sensors during the previous blackout, but had found it hard to imagine. Seeing something even more bizarre right outside his window had sent goose bumps running up his arms.

The university shut down after that, sending the panicked students home in a rush. Most of the professors and auxiliary staff left as well.

Charles was accustomed to being alone for holidays and the like, but something felt different about this. A certain sense of doom hung in the air, just like those planes Charles thought darkly as he walked along an uncustomarily quiet New York City street.

The military had been recalled to their posts. No battles were being waged anywhere on the globe. “That’s a first in human history,” Charles had thought to himself, still in shock over the current events.

All weapons of war had ceased to function during the first blackout and had never come back on line. They could not be restarted, rewired, or reprogrammed. They sat as silent monuments to the greatest and most terrible of mankind’s ingenuity.

The third blackout occurred exactly a week after the first. When the world had changed so irrevocably in seven days, could it ever go back? Should it? Charles wondered idly as he sat in his luxurious but empty brownstone with only his small calico, Albert, for company.

The blackout lasted for exactly five minutes and the tide stopped. The sun and moon froze in place. The stars sat still in the firmament. This was confirmed in every way it could be. But it made no sense unless the earth itself had ceased to move. Had stopped rotating, had stopped orbiting the sun. And that made no sense, how could it?

Charles was used to being the most intelligent person in a given room, but this series of events had him baffled and more than a little terrified. It was times like these he wished he had someone to call his own. His friends had all returned to their families. But he was alone.

He wasn’t a religious man, but from what he knew of end times stories, none panned out quite like this.

The following morning he opened his door to two federal agents asking for his help. Within minutes he and Albert- the young couple who usually watched him for Charles had fled the city- were on their way to the CIA headquarters at Langley. Though Charles didn't know it at the time, this was another momentous event, easily dwarfing all that had come before it, and his life would never be the same.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles finds out what's going on and is recruited by the government!

Moira was functioning in a place beyond fear and uncertainty. The impossible had happened, was continuing to happen and Stephen Hawking had been right. No surprise there she supposed.

A quick rap on her office door caught her attention and she quickly smoothed her hands down her skirt and adjusted her suit jacket. No reason to look as flustered as she felt.

“Come in,” she called briskly, trying to look professional and alert even though she couldn’t remember the last time she’d left the compound.

Her field partner, Munoz, entered her office with a quick smile, trailed by their newest team member, Cassidy, and a handsome young man she knew only by reputation.

“Good work agents,” she said with a genuine smile of relief. “Welcome to Langley Dr. Xavier, I’m sorry to take you away from your family in this trying time.” She began warmly, taking a moment to shake his hand. The one unoccupied with a drowsy kitten.

She arched an eye brow at Munoz who gave a prosaic shrug at the direction of her gaze.

“It’s no trouble, I’m happy to be of service to my country,” Xavier said with a welcoming smile.

They all took seats around the small meeting table that took up one end of Moira’s office as Cassidy started a fresh pot of coffee. Moira declined a cup; she was past help when it came to exhaustion. The thought of any more caffeine made her nauseous.

“I’m glad to hear that you’re willing to help, Dr. Xavier, “

“Please call me Charles,” he said earnestly, leaning forwards in his seat and pinning her in place with his bright blue eyes.

She gave a short nod, “Charles, what’s said in this room, in this facility can never leave it. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” he said nervously, breath coming quickly as his palms started sweating. He set Albert on the cool surface of the table to gratefully accept a mug of steaming brew from a fatigued Cassidy. Albert mewled softly and jumped off the table back into his lap to snuggle against his cardigan.

He hid an eye roll at the dramatic little cuddle slut.

Agent McTaggert gave him a sad, fleeting smile and continued her address, “It’s not just your country that needs you doctor. It’s the entire world.” She raised a hand to cut off his questions. “And I do mean _the world_ , Charles. The Earth itself is in true danger of being destroyed.”

She paused for a moment, but Charles was struck dumb, Moira had become accustomed to this reaction. Everyone had the same response when they heard. Disbelief, blank shock, incomprehension.

“Wh-What do you mean?” he finally stammered out after a long, tense moment, looking to Munoz and Cassidy for confirmation of her mad claims and receiving it in spades. He sat back with a deep exhale, pale as a ghost. “How is that possible?”

“Charles,” Moira began again, catching his full attention with her grim demeanor. “We’ve been invaded.”

~~

Moira hated this aspect of her job. The CIA hired the best and brightest in their field and rarely had to bring civilians into their jobs. But Charles Xavier was young, twenty eight and entirely uninterested in government service. He preferred shaping young minds and sharing his knowledge to sitting behind a desk and dealing with the bureaucracy. 

“I get enough of that at university,” he’d laughed during his offer interview for MI6. They’d desperately wanted to recruit the young dual citizen upon completion of his degree at Oxford. If they’d had any inkling of coming events he likely would have been pressed into service against his will.

Hindsight was 20/20.

Moira had been granted access to his interview in an unprecedented information share from agencies around the world. She had a good feeling about him, so she called him in. Now she could only hope her plan would work.

“This is what we know. The initial blackout lasted for exactly fifteen minutes. An audio file played exactly five times in that stretch of time. Three minutes per loop. Only federal government agencies received this missive. We got it in English. Canada in English and French, Mexico in Spanish. China in Mandarin and so on and so forth. As far as we can tell, every nation on Earth was informed of our options and stripped of our defenses in the same stretch of time.”

Charles was looking a bit green around the gills, “What are our options?” he asked shakily.

Agent Munoz leaned in with a grim frown, “Surrender or die.”

~~

Charles was suiting up to meet their alien overlords. Outer space invasion, really? Surely this was all a very bizarre dream and he was going to wake up and laugh. Maybe he’d write a science fiction book about it, become a best seller. Only he couldn't wake up, not for lack of trying. Maybe he was in a coma, and that’s why he couldn’t wake himself up.

He anxiously jiggled his knee as he sat outside the briefing room with Cassidy who was happily cuddling a now fully alert Albert. Charles was seriously considering giving him more cat-drops to put him back to sleep. The last thing he needed was his little ball of mischief running loose in the CIA.

He nervously tugged his tie and adjusted his collar. He’d changed into his nicest, bespoke suit. The one he used for grant request proposals. Perhaps that how he should think of this, _‘please don’t kill my species and destroy our home, here is a ten point list of reasons why you should consider my request.’_

He ran a shaky hand through his hair. The fate of the world rested on his shoulders. Seven billion people and who knew how many plant and animal species, _the planet itself_ , depended on what _he_ said to alien invaders.

They were all doomed.

 _“I really am the worst person for this job; I always say the wrong thing at the wrong time! It’s a curse!”_ he’d tried to reason with his handlers by they weren’t having it.

“Relax, man,” Cassidy drawled softly. “Moira has great instincts, that’s why she’s our team lead. She believes in you, so do me and ‘mondo.”

“‘mondo and I,” Charles corrected absently as he stood to pace the hall. Albert mewled at him impatiently, clearly picking up his tension.

“Dude,” Cassidy began when the office door opened and Agents McTaggert and Munoz stepped into the hall, looking dour. Their conference call must not have gone well. Charles’ heart sank.

“Different countries are trying different tactics, but we agree that surrender in the face of an overwhelming force is our optimal chance of survival, Moira informed them shortly.

“But what do they _want_?” Charles wondered, baffled.

“Subservience,” Munoz said flatly. “They’ll settle for nothing less."

“See, Charles. What’d I tell ya’? How could you make this worse?” Cassidy said with a happy smile, earning him looks of disbelief from his three companions and a head butt from Albert since the petting had stopped. He seemed supremely unconcerned with the goings on. Charles wanted some of whatever he was on.

Moira cleared her throat and pursed her lips, "Agent Cassidy is right, Charles. This situation can't get much worse, just do your best. It's all we can ask of you."

Charles took a deep breath and let it out in a tremulous sigh, he was out of time. They all were. Armando's words rang in his mind on a loop. "Surrender or die, _Subservience_." What could they possibly mean by that? Why humans? Why _Earth_? He supposed he'd find out soon enough.

He straightened his shoulders and carefully adjusted his suit jacket. If he was going to die at least he'd die looking like the gentleman he was raised to be. "Alright Agents, lets meet our masters." Charles said, pale and unsmiling.

They made a silent treck through the bowels of Langley and into a motorcade that took them through the nearly empty city streets of the capitol until they reached the Pentagon.

Charles greedily watched the city pass by, intimately aware that this may be his last chance to do so. He had so many regrets. He'd taken his future for granted and now that future was gone, replaced by a great unknown. He watched the few pedestrians they passed on the street, they were anxious and drawn. He envied them their ignorance. He'd been so afraid of the unknown just a few hours before, now he knew there were worse things than ignorance.

But even in the face of his blind fear, in the small, still part of himself that always demanded more knowledge, he was more excited than he'd ever been. This was the dream of scientists and philosophers for centuries past, and he had the honor of being on Earth's vanguard. The jumble of emotion made him queasy but he reveled in it. The feeling proved he was alive, he'd enjoy every moment for as long as it lasted.

After too long and not nearly long enough, they arrived at the Pentagon and went to meet the future head on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I am planning longer chapters for this as the story progresses, I just don't want to rush the set up! Please let me know of any typos you see or questions you'd like answered! Much love always! XOXO!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles meets the invaders!

Erik stepped into the large conference room with a pleased smirk. Everyone present reeked of fear and disillusionment. All was right with the universe. He’d lost count of how many planets and star systems he’d brought under the control of the Federation. He was a conqueror, the greatest his kind had ever known and he wasn’t ashamed to admit it.

Seven billion sentient, carbon based life forms was quite a coup, even for him. And such a lovely little planet as well, closer to midsized if he was feeling generous.

He knew all the main languages of this planet and hoped that his odd accent didn’t throw his new subjects off, but no. Several humans had been shown to have the capacity to speak numerous languages.

He caught Hank’s eye as he finished the introductions. Azazel stood on his other side, impassive and regal. They made a striking group, tall and glamorous. The humans in turn looked weak and exhausted, but he saw some promise in a few of the representatives present.

Hank caught his eye again; he was irritated that his mind was wandering, but honestly, as soon as they’d scanned the planet and realized that the core was molten lead he’d know he could do this with both hands tied behind his back.

They’d orbited the planet for over a month without being detected. That was nothing short of embarrassing. He idly wondered if any of the scientists who had designed their space programs and satellite systems were present at this meeting.

 Erik left nothing to chance, which is why he and his chosen generals were accepting Earth defeat just over a week after they’d announced their presence.

Meanwhile Admiral Shaw was mired in conquering a forest moon because he’d gone in with blunt force and no plan. Erik loved reading the field reports from Shaw’s men; they brightened his day like nothing else.

A lovely redhead with bags under her eyes was addressing them now, doing an impressive job of hiding her fear. Erik was not interested in anything she had to say but he made a point of watching her avidly so as not to seem disinterested.

Great, she was done. Hopefully now they could get to the official surrender of this continent. A man in black stood up to speak as well. Erik flicked his eyes over him quickly. Past his prime, likely a senior official, nothing note worthy about him.

He was patient through the speeches from representatives from each nation and even a few different agencies from each government.

An important part of surrender was to allow the defeated to maintain some sense of self. A semblance of pride. His mother had taught him that, his father had learned it the hard way.

Now a young man was standing up, he’d caught Erik’s eye when they first entered the room. He had an open face, easy to read. He looked peaked and shaky. Erik hoped he wasn’t about to vomit or pass out. That would be awkward and certainly make this farce of a conditional surrender take even longer.

But then he started to speak and Erik was enraptured. He was a wonderful orator, full of passion and verve for his subject matter which appeared to be the bio evolution of life on Earth. Erik could have listened to the gentle cadence of his words for hours.

 He clearly loved his planet and its people. It was one of the better pleas for mercy Erik had ever heard. And he’d heard them all.

The young man-Dr. Charles Xavier- became lightly flushed as he spoke and absently brushed his hair out if his eyes when it flopped over his forehead. Erik leaned forward in his seat and locked eyes with him, causing him to lose his place his rehearsed speech.

“Go on,” Erik nodded, causing a startled tension to rush through the humans present. They were the first words he’d spoken since arriving.

Charles glanced at the redhead who darted a glance between the two of them and gave Charles a reassuring nod.

“I-um, that is how we became the dominant form of reproductive life on the planet. In a nutshell,” he stammered out.

Erik sat back in his seat, satisfied that they could continue. He nodded to the young doctor who resumed his seat with a shaky nod and a pathetic attempt at a smile.

He was approached by a young man with a mane of curly red hair and an abundance of freckles who’d been seated along the wall for the duration of the meeting.

He tensed at the young man’s words and glanced around cagily.

Erik was immediately on the alert. If the humans had planned some resistance, now would be the time to enact it.

He and his team would be teleported back to their ship and leave orbit just before the planet imploded. They’d done it before when they’d been attacked, but Erik was loathe to do it again. He was developing a fondness for this little blue planet and its molten core. He even liked its outsized moon. The fact that there was only one gave the place a sort of quaint charm.

Azazel had noticed the odd behavior as well and was clearly waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Erik tensed as something warm dropped onto his lap. He hid his shock well but glanced down immediately to notice a small, multi colored earth creature gazing up at him with bright green eyes. Predators eyes, Erik noted, the fierce little hunter pierced his trousers with its claws as it walked up his thighs fearlessly. It must be a stealthy little one to have snuck up on him.

 He remembered seeing them on the reels he’d watched about Earths life forms but for the life of him he couldn’t remember what they were called.

He glanced up to see Azazel still watching the humans like hawks while Hank tapped out a message to the ship on his communicator.

Dr. Xavier now looked entirely panicked and he and the freckled young man were now leaning over whispering frantically to the red headed woman-McTaggert?- who looked irate.

The representatives from Canada, Mexico, and Belize looked confused and worried by the small commotion. Perhaps only the United States was in on the subterfuge? It would be a pity if one nation’s actions doomed their species to eradication.

The creature opened its mouth and mewled loudly, showing off a maw of delicate fangs.

The room fell silent and every eye in the room snapped to him.

 _“What is that?”_ Hank asked with a frown.

 _“I don’t know,”_ Erik answered honestly, knowing the humans wouldn’t be able to understand their language.

The animal was pressing its head against his knuckles insistently; he raised a hesitant hand and ran it over the creature’s delicate ears. It was unbelievably soft.

“Oh my god, Albert!”

Erik was startled to see the young doctor rushing around the table in a clear attempt to lay claim to the small creature- _an Albert_? That didn’t seem right. He settled his hand over the animal with a frown that stopped the young man in his tracks. “Is this your creature?” he asked softly, not wanting to scare the man or the animal unnecessarily.

Charles glanced back at the United States representatives who were staring at him in stunned silence. The president of Mexico stood to speak once more but was hushed by the secretary of defense.

“Yes, he’s my cat. He’s not supposed to be here. Let me take him away,” he all but pleaded. Arms slightly outstretched, fingers twitching nervously.

Erik gave him a slow smile, watching him grow paler with each passing moment. He was brave, risking Erik’s ire for the sake of a _cat-_ that was the word. “This cat is one of the many forms of life you were so passionate about defending.” He said without inflection.

Charles straightened his back and nodded decisively. Erik exchanged a knowing glance with Azazel.“Yes, he is.”

“Tell me doctor, what is so…special about life on Earth? You all thought you were alone until we proved you wrong, and humans are the most intelligent life on this planet.”

“We’re a very young species!” Xavier immediately went on the defense. “Given time we have the capacity to become something amazing.”

Erik nodded, they were remarkably young. Just 50,000 years ago their species hadn’t even come into existence yet. “You have that capacity but you waste it on warring amongst yourselves over trivial differences.” He ran his hand over the cat with the grain of its fur, it rumbled under his hand catching his attention for a quick moment.

Dr. Xavier pursed his red lips and nodded his agreement, “Yes. But look at our history; we’re becoming less violent with each generation. Our differences mean less and less as time goes on.”

Erik shook his head irritably, “When we arrived there was killing in every city on every continent on your globe. You all will be useful to the Federation, but your way of life cannot be tolerated.”

The humans looked panicked, a fission of fear trembled through the room at an alarming rate, “Please, don’t…” he faded off helplessly.

But Erik was intrigued, “Don’t what?” he asked softly.

“Destroy us, destroy our culture. Our way of life.”

Erik gave him a patronizing smile, “You will not be destroyed if you fall in line. Your various cultures, your way of life has changed forever. The sooner you come to terms with that, the better.” Erik said firmly.

He was pleased to note the look of irritation bordering on anger that flickered across the young man’s face.

“What do you want from us?” he asked after a long moment.

“For now? I’d like to get to know your beloved home a bit better. It’s one thing to observe from orbit but an entirely different experience being on the surface.” A murmur rose from the humans assembled at his words.

 _“What are you up to?”_ Azazel asked softly.

 _“Like you don’t know,”_ Erik glanced at him from the corner of his eye as his second in command flashed his fangs in a brief grin.

Hank looked mildly surprised by his request and quickly tapped out an update to their schedule on his communicator. _“We’re ahead of schedule as it is, so there’s no harm in getting first hand recognizance if you so desire, Admiral.”_

Erik nodded his understanding and left Hank to his own devices. The young man worked best without being micromanaged, which is why he and Erik worked so well together. He wasn’t one for coddling his officers, they were the best or they never made it into his fleet.

The cat shifted under his hand, it was disconcerting to be able to feel its small frame shifting just beneath its skin. He wasn’t used to such delicate creatures. He let it wriggle off his lap and pad over to the relieved doctor who scooped the cat into his arms before it could try climbing him.

“Thank you,” Dr. Xavier said so softly Erik barely heard him over the jumble of languages pouring out of the other humans present. His eyes glimmered for a moment with some depth of emotion Erik didn’t understand.

He gave the young man a curt nod and shifted his focus back to the rest of the representatives seated around the table. Dr. Xavier reclaimed his seat with a shy mien, refusing to look at the other humans who were openly eyeing him and his little cat with barely concealed disdain.

That irked Erik, but he could understand their reticence. He suspected the good doctor wasn’t officially one of their number. More than likely he was a last minute addition that not all of them had approved of.

The president of the United States leaned forward and addressed him with a deep frown. “You want to get to know our planet better?” Erik ignored the unasked questions; _Will this help us or hurt us? Do we have a choice either way?_

The answers were irrelevant. As he’d told Charles, the sooner they accustomed themselves to their new circumstances the better off they’d be.

Instead he looked the man right in the eye, pleased at how well he hid his instinctive flinch “Yes, I find myself fascinated by the information presented by Doctor Charles Xavier.”

The young man snapped his bright, clear eyes to Erik in surprise, almost as though he anticipated the next words out of his mouth.

“I’d like him to be my ambassador to your world. That is, if you agree?” he turned from the president to look directly at the stunned young doctor. He wondered if it was crueler in their society to give a false sense of free agency or to make each request a demand.

There was a moment of tense silence before the red head spoke up, “he’ll do it.” She turned to him with a pinched look. “Right, Charles?”

“Right,” he said firmly, though he looked so pale that the delicate veins at his temples were clearly visible, pulsing life beneath his blanched white skin.

Erik sat back, pleased with himself. Hank glanced at him with a nod. The surrender from the other continents had been achieved by his assigned generals.

Earth was now under the command of the Federation.

 _“Tell the men excellent work and have this planet made a protectorate,”_ he informed Hank quietly. Never taking his eyes off the collection of humans now avidly discussing his tour of their home.

 _“Under the northern fleet?”_ he asked, already responding to Erik’s commands.

He shook his head slowly, _“Under my family name.”_   He’d have no misunderstandings about this. Perhaps he was more like his father than he’d ever given himself credit for.

 _“Congratulations admiral,”_ Azazel clasped his shoulder firmly for a moment before settling back in his seat, tail flicking idly.

Erik took the words as his due.

~~

Charles stumbled out of the room and into an office with the CIA team that had recruited him.

“What the hell, Sean?!” Moira whirled on the unsuspecting young man with the fury of a thousand devils.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t want him to be alone if things went south,” he explained wide eyed and trembling.

“You almost got us all killed! What if he’d hated the cat? How did he get away from you anyway?!”

“He’s quick! I didn’t want to cause a commotion! I figured he’d just go to Charles or fall asleep under the table or something!”

Armando cut in with a sharp glare. “Guys, we don’t have time for this. The president is going to want to meet with Charles in a minute and apparently he’s Earth’s ambassador. We didn’t get them to back off, but at least we’re all still alive.”

Moira and Sean turned to face their partner with matching looks. “You’re right. We’ll discuss this breach of protocol later.” Moira sighed. “Charles, you did great. This is a better outcome than I’d hoped for. You seem to have connected with their leader on a real level.

“Thanks,” Charles said tiredly, unable to process all that had just happened.

“Why do they all look so different?” Sean cut in with a frown. “A red guy with a tail? A blue furry guy? And a guy with like 80 teeth? How does that make sense?”

Charles had been wondering that himself, they all spoke a common tongue and wore matching-very attractive- military style uniforms but that’s where the similarities end.

“I guess we’ll find out,” he said cuddling Albert close, still half terrified that the handsome alien had harmed his pet. “Hopefully they’ll be willing to answer a few questions about their genetic diversity.”

“Just do what you can to keep him happy. Remember we’re at their mercy now and we still don’t know their end game,” Armando reminded him tensely as though Charles could forget.

A sharp knock on the door caught their attention; Sean opened it to one of the president’s advisors asking for their immediate presence in a closed door meeting with him.

“Duty calls,” Moira said dryly leading the way out of the room. Charles handed Albert back to Sean with a sharp admonishment to keep him in the office the entire time he was gone.

He blushed red to match his hair and stumbled over a mouthful of apologies that had Charles forgiving him in a heartbeat. He had the feeling Moira and Armando weren’t going to be quite so easy to please, but the young man’s heart had been in the right place and Charles couldn’t hold his mistake against him.

He left the room to continue his surreal day by meeting with the leaders of the free world. Or what once was a free world. The thought was sobering. But in spite of it all, the only thing Charles could think of was the way the Admiral had watched him with silvery, nearly translucent eyes set into an impervious, uncompromising, unfairly attractive face.

Why couldn’t their invaders have looked like the Blob? Or Alien? Or Predator? Or even the Bugs from Starship Troopers? Then again, with the way those movies went, perhaps this was for the best.

“Ready Charles?”

As he’d ever be he supposed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please ask any questions you have about the characters or plot! I don't want there to be any confusion and I haven't written sci fi before! Please let me know if anything doesn't make sense! XOXO!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles and Erik meet and make plans for the future.

Charles wasn’t ready for this. It had been three days since the aliens- _Representatives of the Intergalactic Federation_ \- had accepted the surrender of mankind. Today their leader was scheduled for a return visit and meeting with Charles.

The government wanted to upgrade his security detail and of course he’d agreed to the level of support any American or British ambassador would have. He had put his foot down when it came to changing his handlers. Moira’s team had gotten him this far, he saw no need to fix what wasn’t broken. Besides, he genuinely liked working with them. Under different circumstance he would have already considered them friends. As it was, they were dear co workers and he was happy to know they had his back.

“Alright, Charles, remember what we discussed?” Moira fussed with his tie for a moment before stepping back to look him over with a critical eye.

She was looking as good as he’d ever seen her. The could be because she'd actually left the compound and slept in her own bed. a few hours away had done wonders for her appearance and temperament.

One unanticipated result of his refusal for a new team was that her team had been given a promotion. On that was well deserved in Charles’ eyes since she was the only one who’d thought to bring him on and he was the one who had somehow managed to charm their new overlord.

“Charles?” She snapped, giving him another concerned once over. “Are you alright? You look peaked. Sean!” she snapped over her shoulder and then the young man was there handing Charles a chilled bottle of water.

Charles smiled his thanks to the young man who had been making a real effort to make up for his actions the day of the surrender.

“Thank you, Sean. I’m fine, Moira. Really. I remember everything we went over and I’m pretty good at making small talk. Everything is going to be fine.” Maybe if he said it often enough it would come true.

Moira gave him a skeptical look that had him hiding behind a deep drink of water. Sometimes he could swear she could read his mind, and right now that would be a very bad thing.

“Okay, Charles. If you say so. Just remember we’ll be in your ear the whole time and if you’re in any trouble we’ll be there in 15 seconds tops.” She said with a stern look.

Charles was touched. There was no hope of any of them actually being able to rescue him if the meeting went badly, but he was sure they’d lay down their lives to protect him if it came to it.

“Thank you,” he said with a sincere smile. He only hoped she could forgive him for what he was about to do. But she’d brought him on for his expertise and he liked to think that a part of that was his ability to put people at ease. Fingers crossed that he didn’t get them all killed.

Armando stepped into the room with a light knock, “looking good, Charles. All set?” he and Moira shared a quick glance that concerned Charles, but he didn’t have time to decipher it.

“Please lead the way,” he glanced back at Sean who was cradling a lightly drugged Albert in his arms. Charles had wanted to leave him at Moira’s-where he was staying until further accommodations could be found. But Sean had made the valid argument that perhaps it was Albert who had charmed the admiral, and if he asked after the animal it would be better to be able to retrieve him in a few minutes rather than nearly an hour.

It was a solid argument, but that didn’t mean Charles had to like it. He stepped out into the hall and made his way down to the room where he’s be meeting with admiral for his first official day as Earth’s ambassador.

~~

Erik sat perfectly still and unblinking, waiting for the humans to bring Charles into the room. His security detail was waiting outside and was more for show than anything. He was sure he could handle this nation’s entire army on his own, but he always liked to put on a slight show of force, especially when dealing with more primitive and violent cultures.

A soft knock on the door drew his attention much to the relief of the man in black who had been sitting with him up until this point. Erik had been half listening to his simple chatter, but had given the impression that he wasn’t paying any attention at all.

“Sir,” came a slender man with brown skin and dark eyes, he was young and trim. Erik remembered him from the other day as well. He was one of Charles’ associates of he wasn’t mistaken. “I’m sorry to interrupt but Dr. Xavier has arrived.” He said smoothly.

Erik was impressed with the young man’s poise. Charles had been in the building since long before Erik had arrived, but there was no need to let them know they were being watched so closely.

Then Charles stepped in, looking nervous but less than he had when they’d first met. The black of his suit offset his pale skin and dark hair nicely, while the bright blue stripes on his tie perfectly matched his eyes. Erik rose from his seat and clasped his hands behind his back. He towered over the other man, a fact made clear when Charles had glanced back at his friend nervously when Erik stood.

“Hello, Admiral. It’s lovely to see you again,” he said with a warm smile.

Erik returned it with one of his own, but realized that may have been a mistake when Charles paled and took a half step back. The man in black, who had risen when Erik had, crossed himself and edged towards the door. Erik frowned.

“Well, we’ll leave you to it then,” the man in black said grasping Charles’ friend by the arm and hustling him out the door. The young man had gestured to his ear just before the door clicked shut behind him, leaving them alone for the first time. Well, alone but for the agents listening in.

Erik turned back to his new ambassador with a close lipped smile and gestured to one of the seats. “Please have a seat, doctor.”

Charles did so, turning to face him with a speculative look in his eyes, “Thank you, Admiral.”

He shrugged, the niceties always bored him and he was eager to move on to more interesting things. “So, you’ve had a few days to process what’s happened. How have your people taken the news?”

Erik knew of course, but he wanted to hear it from Charles’ point of view.

“Not well, but it could have been worse. It was wise of you to remove our firepower before announcing your presence. You rather have us over a barrel.”

“We don’t allow senseless killing in the federation. Life is rare in this universe, sentient life even moreso. It is sacred to us,” he said as simply as he could. Apparently he’d said the right thing because Charles was giving him a look he couldn’t decipher.

“That’s beautiful, I’ve always thought that, but, well. I’m one of the few humans who seems to feel the way. Of course there are some religions that strictly prohibit harming others’ and further sects in other religions that do the same. As I said, I see us as growing less warlike as each generation passes.”

Erik thought that seemed a bit optimistic, “At the rate you all were heading you’d have wiped this planet clean of all life within the next two centuries.” He said flatly. He’d seen it happen before and the desolation made him sick.

Charles seemed irritated again, “Well what would you have done if we had refused to surrender? Forced us? Killed us?”

Erik sighed, “As unfair and illogical as it seems, anytime we’ve left a race such as yours unchecked, you’ve either wiped yourselves out in the manner I’ve described and/or brought war upon the federation with grand ideas of conquest, usually within a generation or two after we announce our presence. We have a policy of containment that has saved billions of lives by our count.”

Charles did something distracting with his mouth that threw Erik for a moment. He made a note to look it up in the files on human facial expressions when he returned to the ship. He probably needed to work on his own since his attempt at a smile had horrified his hosts.

“Well, that said, humans aren’t all bad. In fact you’ll rarely find a human who is purely bad. Generally when humans kill we do it for a reason,” Charles explained.

“Yes, we had noticed. If you all had been the raw savages you appeared to be at first glance we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.” He said smoothly.

Charles swallowed thickly and glanced at the door before leaning in slightly, “I don’t know what your plans are for us, or how we’ll play into the future of the Federation, but I don’t see how it could be a positive role when you have such a…negative view of human nature and of life on earth.” He said earnestly. Erik was intrigued by where this was heading. And nodded for the smaller man to go on.

Charles sighed in what appeared to be relief. “I’d like to be your ambassador in truth. May I say you look very human and I think with a few modifications, you could pass very easily. I’d like to show you life on Earth and have you make up your own mind about us before making any permanent plans for our future.” He’d learned in further and seemed very sincere in his offer.

Erik was taken aback by the suggestion; usually they began assimilating a population within a few days of their surrender. If he was going to see Earth as it was before they were occupied…it would be like living in one of the many reels they’d collected of the planet.

He was surprised to find that he was genuinely interested in what Charles wanted to show him. He wanted to see what drove the other man to love this little blue planet in spite of the horrors it offered. He wanted to know what lit that passion in his heart for the lives of his fellow Earthlings.

Besides, he was overdue for a vacation and here was as good a place as any. He could practically hear his mother’s voice telling him to live a little.

“Alright, I’ll agree to you offer, Dr. Xavier.”

Charles looked stunned, “Really?”

“Yes, really. That is, if you were serious.” Erik tilted his head watchfully.

“Yes, Yes I was. Thank you! I promise you won’t regret it,” Charles leaned in with a wide smile and clasped one of Erik’s hands in both of his.

Erik raised his eyebrows and curled his fingers around Charles’ smaller digits for a moment before allowing Charles to pull away when a light knock on the door caught his attention. He looked chagrinned. Erik quirked an eyebrow, it seemed as though his ambassador had taken the initiative in a way his superiors hadn’t approved of. Erik respected that, and liked it more than he should.

The redhead from the other day stepped in with a frown after Charles called for her to enter. “Charles, we need you.” She gave Erik a respectful nod, “Admiral.”

He returned it and stood when Charles did, turning to face the smaller man, “I hope to see you again tomorrow, Dr. Xavier. I’m interested to see what you have planned.”

“Same time, same place. I’ll be happy to see you then,” he said with a nervous glance at the woman.

Erik turned to her as well, “Thank you for your assistance as well. I expect Dr. Xavier to be provided everything he needs for this endeavor. It trust that won’t be an issue,” it wasn't a question. He smiled.

She paled and placed her hand at her hip, where he supposed her gun would have rested had he not made it defunct days ago. “Of course, Admiral. You have my word and the full backing of the United States government.” She said with a firm voice, though she was clearly terrified of him.

Erik was impressed in spite of himself. Humans were rapidly becoming one of his favorite species. “Until tomorrow, then.” He stepped out to take his leave. Happy that an Earth day was only 24 hours long. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d looked forwards to anything other than conquering planets and brief visits to see his parents.

This was something special. This was something new. He thought back to Charles grasping his hand in his cool grip for those brief moments before they were interrupted. This was all shaping up very nicely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please be sure to ask any questions you have or ask for any human things you'd like to see Erik experience! I have a few ideas but more are always welcome!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Was the admiral really watching him? Looking at him differently than he did other people? And if so, why? And why did the idea of that fill his belly with butterflies rather than anxiety?

Charles was eager for his tour with the Admiral to begin. He’d gotten chewed out by Moira and her superiors’ in turn, but he’d been granted his requests immediately. So in the end it was all worth it.

 In all honesty, his distaste for red tape and bureaucracy of the government hadn’t faded with time and had only grown because of his dealings with the university system. He found ways to bypass it whenever he could.

He’d been inspired by the exploits of one of his personal heroes, Alan Turing, when it came to enacting his plan. Everyone had a higher up and he had the ear of the highest of them all. He’d try not to abuse this power. He didn’t want to be accused of turning against his own kind to find favor in the eyes of the invaders.

He knew he was walking a dangerous line between two enemies who saw no way to coexist. If he played this wrong he’d strand himself in a no man’s land with no friends or allies to call his own. But if he played this right, they could learn to coexist without humanity surrendering their cultures and religions and whatever else the Federation would demand of them that would strip them of all that made them human. He had to make Erik understand. He had to show him what it meant to be human and why that was a wonderful thing. He could only hope he was as persuasive as Moira seemed to think he was.

~~

Erik arrived for his meeting with his ambassador with an unusual degree of excitement. Hank had certainly noticed, but had declined to comment. Erik was grateful for that and had agreed to see about getting Hank the many mineral and botanical samples he was salivating over from this lush planet.

Apparently it was teeming with life down to the cellular level; his science department was clearly anticipating some great finds. In his research into Dr. Xavier he’d found evidence of a similar sort of curiosity and wondered how he and Hank would get along.

Hank had certainly been keen on Earths biodiversity since they’d arrived in orbit and his appetite for knowledge had only been whetted by Dr. Xavier’s brief talk at the North American surrender.

Erik frowned at the memory of his lead science officer rhapsodizing over the young doctors’ intelligence. He resolved to keep them apart for the time being. No reason to distract the good doctor from his duties as ambassador when he was new to the role.

“Ready captain?” his bridge commander asked firmly.

He nodded his assent and felt the odd bubbling sensation that signaled teleportation fill his body.  Within a matter of seconds the feeling dissipated and he opened his eyes in the room he and Charles had met in the day before.

He’d arrived without his usual escort of armed guards, they were just for show anyway and he hoped his lone arrival would put Dr. Xavier at ease. He liked the flickers of personality that came through the other mans fear when they fell into conversation. He hoped to see more of that in the days to come.

“Admiral,” Dr. Xavier stepped into the room with a light knock. “Right on time. I thought you might be,” he gave a nervous chuckle.

Erik gave a small smile without showing his teeth. He’d practiced it the night before and hoped for a better result than his previous smiles had obtained. Charles smiled back, full lips lightly parted to reveal small, white teeth.

“No pouting today?” Erik asked with a slight tilt to his head.

Ruby lips turned down in a slight frown as his brow crinkled in confusion, “I’m sorry, what?”

“I looked it up last night; you all move your faces a great deal when speaking. We tend not to. Most of our communication is verbal. My behavioral experts tell me that’s not the case with your kind,” Erik said, moving slowly across the room to stand just in front of the smaller man.

His face flushed red and he glanced away from Erik’s penetrating gaze. Erik hoped that was a good sign, he was taking Azazel’s advice to share some details about his own people to make Charles more comfortable with his mannerisms and hopefully draw him in with tid-bits of knowledge that would make him eager for more.

Normally he ignored Azazel’s personal advice, but in this area, the man certainly had more experience and Erik conceded that he’d need all the help he could get. This was his first personal protectorate, one that he hoped to make into a successful colony.

For that he’d need to be on friendly terms with his new subjects. Dr. Xavier’s plans would be invaluable to his cause in a variety of ways.

Charles licked his lips nervously and glanced up at the Admiral from beneath his eyelashes. “Well, feel free to ask any questions you have about…any of that.” He hoped his voice sounded steady, but it was difficult with the admiral standing just in front of him, tall and imposing, so handsome in an otherworldly way. His heart was racing, his palms damp with nerves as the Admiral tilted his head in what Charles took to be agreement.

He quirked those thin, almost nonexistent lips in another of those tiny, awkward smiles he seemed to be favoring this morning. Charles felt his cheeks heat again at the sight. Logically he knew the other man as simply unpracticed in facial expressions, but there was a certain vulnerability revealed in those smiles and in the close way he watched Charles as he spoke. Like a man learning a new language conversing with a native speaker for the first time. It was- dare he say sweet? That he’d consulted with his behavioral experts for their outing. That he’d looked up the facial expression Charles had made that had so confused him.

Charles wondered when he had pouted the day before, and what the Admiral had thought of it at the time and later once he’d found out what it was. He’d resolved himself to asking, if only to break the extended silence that had fallen between them. It was surprisingly comfortable, like they’d known each other for years instead of a few closely monitored moments over the course of a few days. Perhaps it was the stress getting to him, creating a sort of brothers in arms feel between them. Charles resolved to look into Stockholm Syndrome at his earliest convenience. He wasn’t sympathizing with the Admiral or his goals, but something had to explain the soft feelings he had for the other man. Not man. Alien. He reminded himself harshly.

A soft knock came on the door, breaking the silence with a jolt.

Charles broke their eye contact and stepped over to open the door and let in Moira, Armando, and three humans Erik didn’t recognize. He schooled his face into its usual blank expression. As they settled into the room with a variety of items he recognized from various reels. He had no idea what their purpose was, but he decided to reserve judgment until Dr. Xavier explained himself.

Charles turned to the admiral with a nervous gleam in his eyes, “Did your research tell you anything about makeovers?”

~~

Moira pulled Charles to the side to speak with him as Erik gazed about the room with a flat glare, allowing the tailors to take his measurements and begin choosing some pre selected garments based on his assumed sizes.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Moira asked, sotto voce.

“No. But I have to try.”

“I still think one of us should go with you,” she insisted.

“I know you do, but it wouldn’t do any good and might do some harm. Just give us some breathing room. I know you don’t like him, but I think I have a real shot at convincing him to see us as equals.”

Moira gave him an unimpressed look, “I don’t like the way he looks at you.”

They glanced over at the Admiral who was stepping behind a Chinese screen one of the assistants had set up. His face was entirely impassive and his body language was borderline threatening.

Charles scoffed halfheartedly, “He looks at everyone that way.”

Moira was shaking her head by the time he was finished speaking, “No, he doesn’t, he _watches_ you, Charles. Be careful,” she ordered a note of pleading in her voice.

He could only nod, throat dry with nerves as she stepped away to speak to Armando about the logistics of their day. If it went well he hoped they could arrange more outings. He watched as the taller man stepped from behind the screen dressed in a sleek gray suit. He was breathtakingly handsome in profile. Easily the most attractive man Charles had ever seen.

He swallowed hard at the sight. Alien. He reminded himself again. As in not human. The Admiral turned those nearly translucent eyes to him suddenly as though he’d heard the thought and disapproved. Charles swallowed thickly, trying to ignore the pull of attraction he felt to the other man. He cleared his throat and adjusted his collar- he’d forgone a tie today and was grateful for the reprieve; he’d worn one more in the past week than he had in the entire year prior.

“Admiral, you look great. Are you ready to go?” Charles asked shakily. Trying not to focus on the fact that his plan was coming to fruition. That his plan entailed him being alone with this unbelievably handsome being from another world for extended periods of time. He watched as the other man slipped a pair of designer sunglasses on to hide his pale irises. He looked like a cover model for GQ. Charles conceded that perhaps this wasn’t the best idea he’d ever had.

~~

“Admiral?” Dr. Xavier stepped in close and waved away one of the makeup artists who was still fidgeting with his hair. She seemed keen on keeping physical contact with him which Erik could easily recognize as possessive behavior that possibly indicated sexual interest. He considered the benefits of asking Dr. Xavier for clarification or waiting to get back to his flagship and asking his behavioral specialists their opinion. He decided on the former, but wanted to wait until she was out of ear shot before he did. He had no desire to inadvertently encourage her behavior.

“Yes, ambassador?” he asked smoothly. He liked the feel of the fabric of his trousers. The entire ensemble was lightweight, breathable, and very comfortable. He glanced back at his discarded uniform which one of the servants had carefully hung on a clothes rack. He wore it or an identical one every day and had for more years than he cared to think about. The change was nice. He decided he was keeping the suit, and anything else Charles deemed necessary. He didn’t know whether to consider them gifts or spoils of war.

His eyes adjusted to the dark lenses of his glasses without a hitch. He could see just as clearly with or without them, but decided against letting anyone know that.

“Admiral,” Charles glanced at the humans hovering nearby and placed a light hand on his elbow. Erik allowed himself to be steered away from the buzzing clusters of men and women watching them with ill concealed interest while trying not to attract his attention. “For our outings I think it would be best if we appear to be colleagues or even friends. I’d like for you to refer to me by my given name.”

“Charles?”

“Yes,”

“Alright, Charles.” He smirked at the light blush his pronunciation of the name produced.

“And is there any name you’re comfortable being called? Or do your kind only go by titles? Perhaps we can come up with a name for you similar enough to your title like Adan, Adam, or Adriel,” Charles babbled nervously, not having considered that the Admiral might not have a given name the way humans did.

“You may refer to me as Erik,” he cut in after a long, considering pause.

“Erik?” Charles blinked in surprise.

“It is the name my mother gave me, only you have leave to use it,” he said flatly.

“I-thank you. You …have a mother?” Charles stammered in surprise.

“The being who bore me forth, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Of course I have a mother,” Erik was amused by the smaller mans embarrassment. He wondered at the odd question. The Federation hadn’t come across a species yet that didn’t require a mother for procreation in some form or another.

“Oh, good.” Charles said, nervously, clearly wishing he could take back his words.

“Charles?”

“Yes?”

“Feel free to ask your questions, if I don’t wish to answer I won’t.”

“I don’t want to step on any toes,” he admitted shyly.

Erik had no idea what that had to do with their current conversation. “I’m sure you’ll be careful,” he hedged.

Charles frowned at him. Apparently that was the wrong answer.

“Dr. Xavier, Admiral.” they turned to face Moira who had cut in softly. “Your car is ready.”

Charles gave her his brightest smile, “Thank you dear.”

She pursed her lips and turned to the taller man. “Admiral, Dr. Xavier is against the idea of you being accompanied by a security detail. I think it would be for the best, and might help prevent any… unpleasant incidents that may arise.”

Charles was exasperated, “Thank you, Agent MacTaggert, but as I said, that’s really not necessary. We want to be incognito.”

She shook her head in barely concealed irritation; “We have plainclothes agents that can-” she stopped short as a brief tremor shook the room.

“That won’t be necessary, Agent.” Erik said, raising a hand to stop the tremors, and then readjusting the misplaced items in the room with a flick of his fingers.

The agents all instinctively reached for their now absent hip holsters, though some still wore them, complete with their useless firearms. He supposed they served some sort of comfort for them.

Moira paled and raised a hand to stop them from drawing on him.

“Were you doing that?” Charles asked in a hushed tone.

“Yes. I have the ability to see myself and Dr. Xavier anywhere on this planet safely.” He said to Moira. “We don’t require a security detail and if Dr. Xavier doesn’t want one, we won’t have one.”

She licked her lips anxiously, “Alright. As you say, Admiral.” She shot Charles an indecipherable look that had him pressing his lips into a thin line and shaking his head.

Erik was frustrated by the silent conversations these people always seemed to be having. He also liked the looks cars and apparently he and Charles would be taking one.

“Are we ready?” he asked, tone flat so he wouldn’t give away his excitement.

Charles looked up at him with eyes the color of Earth’s sky, bright with a spark of curiosity that overrode his customary fear. “Ready when you are.”

Judging from the reactions of the other people in the room, Charles was a singular human being to be less frightened after seeing what Erik could do. He’d clearly made the right call when he’d made Charles his ambassador.

He’d have to thank Azazel for his advice. So far it hadn’t led him astray.

~~

Charles slid behind the wheel of the nondescript black sedan that had been waiting for them, with a full tank, ready to go.

Erik slipped into the passenger seat, pushing it back to accommodate his long legs. He kept his head tilted to the sun as he had since they’d stepped outside. He hadn’t spoken since the scene in the study.

“Do you like the warmth?”

“Yes, it’s cold in space. We have heat sources of course, but there is nothing like the organic warmth of a star.”

“You speak so beautifully, Admir-Erik.” Charles corrected himself mid word with a blush.

“Thank you, Charles. I could say the same of you.” He took in the pleased expression his words produced in the young man. These tinted glasses were good for something. “May I ask where you are taking me? Or do I need to wait and see?”

“Today we’re just going to lunch and a walk downtown. If you like it, we can see about other, longer outings. I hope you enjoy yourself today.”

“I’m sure I will,” Erik assured him. He’d already enjoyed today far more than he’d thought he would.

“Oh, I didn’t even think! Can you eat? Do you? I’m sure you do, or can, what with those teeth. Not that you have-”

“I eat and I can eat human foods, at least according to my biologists, they’re never wrong.” Erik said, amused at Charles’ nervous rambling. He put his small smile to use once again, happy to see that it had the desired effect as Charles relaxed back into driving with a smile, “Great.”

~~

Charles hoped that the Admiral- _Erik_ \- hadn’t looked into human dating rituals. He couldn’t help but see this as the perfect set up for a first date. He hadn’t intended it to be that way, but Sean had brought the matter to his attention during their scant hours to prepare the day before.

“So are you trying to win this guy over the old fashioned way?” he’d asked with a knowing grin.

Charles had exchanged blank looks with Armando before they turned back to the young man with confused expressions.

“Oh come on! Taking him to a French bakery for lunch then going sight seeing? That’s a date.” He said definitively, looking to Armando for support.

Charles rolled his eyes at the younger mans foolishness only to see concern stamped over Armando’s face.  “Is that why you don’t want a security detail? That’s not why Moira brought you on, Charles. There’s no need for you to-”

“No! It’s not a date. I’m just showing him around like I would any visiting foreigner,” he cut him off before the situation could escalate further.

They had turned back to their plans with a slightly subdued air and clearly one or both of them had gone to Moira with their concerns if her words from this morning were any indication.

As a result he couldn’t help but see their outing in an uncomfortable light. Moira’s words from barely an hour before kept running through his mind.

Was the admiral really watching him? Looking at him differently than he did other people? And if so, why? And why did the idea of that fill his belly with butterflies rather than anxiety?

They pulled up outside the small café and Charles quickly found a place to park. Erik hadn’t spoken since he’d started fiddling with the radio. He’d settled on NPR which was still doing constant reports on the invasion. They were currently listening to a call in show.

The subject matter made him a bit uncomfortable, but Erik hadn’t flinched at the occasionally outlandish comments the callers made about his kind. Charles supposed he’d heard it all before if conquering planets was his full time job.

“They feel helpless,” Erik said, switching off the radio and turning his head to watch Charles Parallel Park.

“Well, yes. No civilians have ever seen any of you. They’re imagining monster movie villains,” he said with an expansive gesture.

Erik knew that films were a popular form of entertainment on Earth, but there were millions of them, and he hadn’t watched any during their time in orbit. “Monster movies?”

Charles gave him a shy look, remembering wishing that the admiral looked more like one of those monsters so Charles wouldn’t notice his physical appeal. “We can watch some together if you like. Movies are one of our newest yet most popular art forms.”

Erik nodded and gave a slightly wider smile; Charles took that as a good sign. They hopped out of the car, Charles careful to wait until no cars were coming before he got out. There was no telling what Erik could do if he thought Charles was in danger. He didn’t understand the source of those tremors or what the extent of the admiral’s powers might be. He hoped the other man would be willing to answer questions about it.

They headed inside and were met with a light crowd-most nongovernmental agencies had only just begun offering their services again. The world spun on and people were slowly resuming their normal, daily lives. Charles was happy to see it and hoped they could continue on as they were instead of vassals or serfs of however the Federation saw them.

There was a small chalkboard instructing them to seat themselves. Charles grabbed two menus and led Erik to sit on the nearly empty patio. It was an unseasonably warm late autumn day and the street was bright with traffic and light birdsong. The trees were a riot of reds, golds, and every color in between.

Erik tilted his head back and took a deep breath. Happy to simply sit and watch the people go by as Charles wanted him to. Humans were endlessly fascinating and a large number of them appeared to be children of various sizes. He wondered at the fecundity of their species and made a note to ask Charles about it. He watched small clusters of humans and pairs of them drift by. Lost in their own worlds, lost in each other. 

Their preoccupation was good to see, clearly they were social creatures and he saw more than one pair of same sex humans displaying obvious mating behaviors without negative repercussions. He knew that wasn't the case in all countries societies on this planet, but he wasn't clear why. Charles hadn't commented either way, but he wondered what the other man thought of such things. He wondered what Charles thought about everything.

“Do you have any preferences or is it alright if I order for you?” Charles asked after watching Erik for a long moment without speaking.

“Please go ahead. I’m eager to try your human cuisine, it smells…enticing,” he said honestly.

Charles laughed, “butter usually does. And its French cuisine to be precise.”

“Is it the best?” Erik turned to him, curious about why Charles had chosen this particular place out of all the restaurants they’d passed on the way.

“That depends on who you ask. I’ve always been partial to French desserts, but I hope to introduce you to lots of different foods from around the world.” He chuckled, “I may turn you into something of a foodie.”

Erik didn’t know what to make of that word so he said nothing.

A slender young man with black hair and dark green eyes dressed all in black approached the table with a bright smile. “How can I help you gentlemen today?”

His presence put Erik on edge. He didn’t like the way the human male chattered to Charles at length, taking his attention and focus all for himself. He shifted in his seat, waiting for the man to be gone so Charles would focus on him again.

He’d just settled in again when the man returned with two tall glasses of chilled beverages for each of them. Both were full of ice and had a slice of lemon perched on the edge of the glass. One was clear-likely water, Erik determined. And the other was a light brown and he couldn’t make a guess as to what it was.

He watched Charles took a sip from his glass of water and squeezed the lemon into the brown beverage. He followed suit and slowly stirred his drink.

“I know I said its French cuisine, but they have taken on some southern traditions. I do love sweet iced tea and I haven’t had it in too long,” Charles confided conspiratorially.

Erik took a cautious sip and found it bracing and sweet with an edge of bitterness.

Charles leaned forward, excited beyond all reason, “Well?”

“It’s good,” Erik admitted with more than a bit of surprise. It was very good.

Charles beamed and ran his fingers through that distracting hair, “Really?”

“Really,” he agreed. Pleased to see that his approval meant so much to his little ambassador. That had to be a good sign.

“Good, then. Good.” Charles laughed to himself, relieved that this mad plan might actually work. Erik sat back and thought the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long update! More to come soon! Do you have any questions about Erik or his people? He and Charles are going to have some very interesting outings and conversations starting next chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rest of their first outing and a few in depth discussions as Charles and Erik get to know one another better!

Moira was flustered. She could admit that it was a rare occurrence but…well.

“The Admiral caused the tremors?” The Joint Chiefs of Staff sat around the meeting table looking as stunned as she felt.

“Yes. he raised his hand and apparently caused a mild earthquake that lasted for approximately three seconds. After which he ended it and righted what had been knocked askew with… the same ability?” She hated to end her sentences with a question, but she couldn’t be sure of what she’d seen with her own eyes.

There was stunned silence in the room before one of her direct supervisors spoke up with soft trepidation threading her voice. “Do we know if any of the other invaders have similar abilities?”

Moira shook her head helplessly, “No ma’am. We have no idea.”

The president sat back in his seat with a tired sigh, “Let’s hope we stay on their good side until we can figure out our next move.”

“Is there a next move, sir?” asked the Commandant of the Marine Corps, skeptically.

“None that I can think of. We still can’t see their ships with any of our equipment. They have more advanced theoretical cloaking technology than we can hope to understand.” He turned tired eyes to Moira. “I hope your young doctor knows what he’s doing. As of now, he’s humanity’s last, best hope.”

“I know sir. And I have every faith in Dr. Xavier.” Moira said firmly, careful to hide her worries about the young man behind a professional façade.

~~

Charles was having a surprisingly nice afternoon. A hot Caprese Panini followed by a flaky napoleon would do that. He’d been pleased to note that the Admiral enjoyed their meal as well. he was especially fond of the soft, white cheese that had been used on their sandwiches. he have given a pleased hum at the taste and had eagerly tucked into dessert once it arrived.

"Oh, it's very sweet," he'd been surprised.

"Yes, our meals tend to be savory and our desserts tend to be sweet," Charles agreed, more relieved than he could say that Erik was an adventurous eater and seemed to be genuinely enjoying the flaky pastry.

They had made comfortable small talk and Erik had explained a bit more about their different styles of communication.

“When I smile it looks like this,” he pressed his thin lips together in a way that made him look livid. It was a very mild deviation from his resting facial expression.

Charles had laughed, intrigued, “And what does a frown look like?” he asked eagerly. Laughing once more when Erik’s face stayed the same except for a slight lift of his eyebrows. “My goodness, I never would have noticed that! I’ll keep an eye out for it.” He promised coyly-belatedly wondering if he was flirting.

Erik gave his small smile again to show his pleasure at Charles’ words, “I’ll be practicing my facial expressions. I have no intention of scaring my subject’s unintentionally each time they’re in my presence.”

Charles had suppressed a shiver or fear at the other mans dry words, but tried to play it off as lightly as possible. “So you only want to scare us intentionally then?” he joked.

Erik nodded; face nearly expressionless especially with his eyes hidden by the dark lenses of his sun glasses. “Yes, I have no desire to keep your people living in fear. It’s not healthy. And if they feel they can’t relate to us-to their new position in the Federation- things will only be more difficult for them. For you.”

Charles took a moment to consider what he’d said, “You seem very concerned for our health and well being.”

“I am. your people are my people now.”

It was a strangely comforting thought. Charles had no doubt that the Admiral took his responsibilities very seriously and if he saw the well being of humans as his main concern that could only be a good thing. Charles felt a wave of relief flood his body.

“That’s wonderful, Erik. I hope we can live in harmony. I’d love for humans to view your people as our people. I think that can become a reality with time,” he said with a warm smile.

Erik was doubtful, considering how deeply humans were divided over the slightest differences amongst themselves. But he didn’t want to ruin the pleasant mood that had settled over them. Charles’ optimism drew him in and made him want to go against his very nature and hope for better things.

He told Charles as much, and was pleased to see the change in his posture at his words. He wondered smugly if he was becoming more adept at understanding the silent language humans spoke constantly.

“How do you stay so positive in the face of the…very nature of your people?” he asked, genuinely interested in the answer.

Charles was taken aback by the question, “I’ve never really thought about it. I suppose I’m an individualist a heart. I believe that everyone has the potential to be good, kind, and honest given the right opportunity and incentive. With that in mind how can I not stay positive-or at least hopeful?”

“Well put, doctor. So you think that the slavery, misery, starvation, and poverty on your world could be cured if everyone-or at least the majority- made different choices in life?”

Charles sat back in his seat, looking off into the distance as he contemplated the issues Erik had raised. He took his time formulating an answer, but felt no need to rush; he wanted to get his point across as clearly as possible. “That’s a bit naïve isn’t it? In a perfect world, human life would be seen a sacred and the health of our planet and our people would be sacrosanct. Or course I know the issues of hunger, disease, and hopelessness that millions of us face every day. When their back is to the wall, they make decisions that well to do people could never comprehend. Dealing in human trafficking, drug running, and organized crime is a last resort for most people. We aren’t inherently cruel.”

“So you excuse their behavior?” Erik asked, surprised by the other mans stance on the matter.

Charles shook his head with a wry twist of his full lips. “There can be no excuse for it, but understanding their motives can explain their actions.”

“And through understanding we know what issues to address.” Erik finished the thought with a small smile.

Charles leaned forwards excitedly, “Yes, exactly. Is that how you usually address social change in the Federation?”

“We have an open system in our society. Using Earth as an example, your people will be allowed to keep your religions and political organizations. The Federation is not concerned with controlling your thoughts or the minutiae of your lives. We incorporate planets and species in a mutually beneficial relationship.”

“So you have all of your social ills sorted out?”

“Not entirely. We do have the occasional battle and even wars, but they are rare and we keep our military at the ready to put a stop to any violent incursions before they can escalate.”

“And that’s what you do? You’re an admiral in the military?”

“Yes. I’m the Admiral of the Northern Fleet, the highest ranking officer in the fleet.”

“How many admirals are there?”

“Only four.” He said, pleased at the impressed look that came over Charles’ face.

“That’s amazing! One for each of the cardinal directions?.” Charles chuckled ruefully at his nod. “It’s like I just found out I’m having dinner with the queen and I chose to take her here.”

Erik tilted his head to one side and offered a tiny shrug, “I like it here. It’s very different from my usual treatment on newly acquired planet.” He smiled, “You’re red again.” He noted playfully, smiling wider as the color deepened with his mild observation.

“Yes, thank you for that. It’s called blushing,” Charles turned his full attention to his dessert with a bashful glance.

“I know, may I?” Erik lifted one slim fingered hand slightly off the table. Charles nodded, bashful and confused as Erik placed three fingertips to the curve of his cheekbone. “It’s warm.” He said softly, a note of wonder in his voice.

Charles nodded, voice stolen by the delicate intimacy of the moment. By the dry heat of Erik’s fingers pressed against his flushed cheek.

“It’s nice to know you can warm up. You’re one of the coldest species the Federation has ever encountered. And the coldest I’ve personally met.” He confided quietly.

“Oh. I suppose that must be odd to you.”

“It’ll take some getting used to,” Erik admitted.

“Did you know we have cold blooded animals here?” Charles asked; shy about the subject and trying not to imagine Erik’s hot hands on other parts of his body.

Erik leaned back with an exasperated huff of air, “Yes, my biologists are eager to see your reptiles and study their blood. its all they've talked about lately.”

“That’s a good in, you know? Scientists and mathematicians are more interested in knowledge than where it comes from. I know the STEM community is chomping at the bit to see what you all have to offer.”

Erik smiled, “That’s the plan. And we’re happy to share our knowledge.”

Charles paused for a moment, staring at the other man and wishing he could see those translucent eyes that he felt roaming over him from behind tinted lenses. Something Erik had said a few moments earlier was bothering him.

“I can see how that would be very beneficial to us, but how will Earth be beneficial to the Federation? Why come here except to save us from ourselves?”

Erik turned his head to watch the crowd pass, clearly uncomfortable with Charles’s question.

He took pity on the taller man and gestured for the check. “Let’s walk for a while.”

~~

They were currently walking down a busy D.C. street. People watching in comfortable silence. Erik stopped to read an inscription carved into a small stone slab set into the outer wall of a building they were passing. If anything, Charles was relieved by the sheer interest Erik displayed in their surroundings.

He’d avidly watched the antics of a pair of squirrels for the better part of ten minutes which had naturally led to him asking after Albert. Charles was touched and had led him to a nearby bench and eagerly taken out his phone and shown him the many pictures and short videos he’d taken of Albert from the day he was adopted until a few days before when he’d gotten tangled in one of Moira’s lacy slips and fallen off her vanity table. The video ended with her laughing and leaning in to help detangle the outraged kitten.

For some reason Erik had withdrawn after that last video and not spoken to him for long minutes of their walk which he had resumed  without further comments or questions about Albert or pets in general.

 In Charles’ admittedly limited experience with Erik’s slight facial expressions, the other man appeared to be frowning. He tried not to speculate on why.

During their stroll, Charles had toyed with the idea of getting him a little pet of his own, but couldn’t help but think of the poor animal being taken away from Earth and all of his own kind without any understanding of what was happening. Logically he knew he couldn’t stop Erik from taking anything he liked, but he would try to discourage him if possible.

~~

Erik was irritated. Charles was staying with the female who had wanted to accompany them on their outing. He’d asked for clarification, just to be sure and yes, his ambassador was staying in her residence. The two of them alone except for Albert who was hardly an appropriate chaperone in Erik’s opinion.

And he’d been in what appeared to be her bedroom. That seemed unnecessarily intimate. He’d have to see to it. He turned to Charles but stopped himself from issuing commands- he remembered his mother and all she’d taught him about interpersonal relationships. He thought of how she’d handle this situation and took a moment to compose himself.

He started again, “Charles?”

“Yes?” he blinked up at him warily.

“How do you feel about temporary accommodation?”

He seemed confused. “Like a hotel?”

“Yes, exactly,” he wrapped a hand around Charles’ sturdy wrist and lightly tugged him out of the flow of foot traffic.

Charles followed him closely and stepped into his space to answer his question “Well some of them are very nice and I _am_ partial to hot tubs.” He eyed Erik at that proclamation then dropped his eyes in a way that he’d come to learn meant the smaller man was embarrassed.

Charles continued quickly. “Would you like to try one out? I’m sure we can get a suite somewhere. Maybe Paris or Tokyo. Or somewhere in the Mediterranean-” he faded out, mind whirring with possibilities that would separate him from his pretty companion.

Erik gave him a small smile and clasped his hands behind his back, more pleased than ever with how his plan was turning out.

He opened his mouth to speak once more- wanting to ask in a roundabout way what a “hot tub” was and why the thought of one made him blush- only to stop short when a little boy slammed into the side of his leg at full speed. The kid stepped back from him and continued on his way without a glance at either man.

Charles chuckled at the way Erik glanced down at his leg and after the little boy who had made it the few feet to stand at his mother’s side.

He stopped short when he realized just how close he was standing to the admiral. He took a half step back, trying to regain his equilibrium. Erik caught him by the wrist once more, holding him captive for the length of heartbeat.

“I’ve enjoyed today, Charles. I hope to have more days like it with you.” His hot breath brushed Charles’ ear, sending a sensual shiver down his spine.

“I’m glad to hear it, I look forward to it,” he murmured softly, keenly aware that if Erik were a human man he’d have kissed him by now. He wondered absently if his reluctance to do so made him xenophobic or speciesist. He set that thought aside for further contemplation at a later time. He’d probably end up having an in depth discussion about it with a disinterested Albert.

But he was genuinely conflicted, this had easily been the best date of his life and it didn’t even count he thought ruefully. But as they made their way back to the car he wondered if that was entirely true.

Erik walked so close to his side that their arms brushed with each step they took, and Moira had been right. He was watching Charles closely.

Perhaps it was simply his desire to understand the ‘silent language’ that so confused him, or perhaps it was something else. Something that filled Charles with a shy sense of anticipation that he was no longer able to deny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope to update very soon! I hope you liked the chapter! Thanks for all the suggestions about things for Erik to experience! I'll start working them in next chapter! If you have more ideas I'd love to hear them! XOXO!!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello Charles,” Erik’s voice startled him out of his reverie.
> 
> “Admiral!” Charles yelped in surprise. Knowing about teleportation and witnessing it were two very different things. Not that he’d actually seen anything, but that made it stranger still.

Erik paced the floor of his private chambers. As admiral he had an even larger and more luxurious cabin than the captain of the ship, but his room still felt stiflingly small. Quite a feat considering he’d set his main wall to clear so he could look out into the vastness of space.

He looked over his sparsely decorated but spacious living quarters and wondered what Charles would think of it.

His door chimed ~ _Azazel to see you~_

“Let him in,” he instructed the ships AI with a slight grimace. He hated asking the other man for favors or advice yet here he was again.

Azazel stepped into the room with a smirk, his long tail flicking behind him like it was impatient to hear about Erik’s trip planet side.

“So, how is your protectorate?” he continued without waiting for an answer. “The science division is at odds with the medical corp. apparently they don’t want to share samples.” He smirked as Erik narrowed his eyes in irritation.

“So what else is new? I made sure to request plenty of samples to go around. Hank checked them in himself. They’re just being greedy as usual.” He dismissed their concern with a wave of his hand.

“As you say Admiral,” he nodded his agreement, waiting for Erik to get to the point of their meeting.

“I caused a small seismic shift,” he admitted sullenly after a long pause.

“We know. We went on full alert but when you didn’t notify us of a problem we stood down.”

“Good man. They wanted to send a security detail with us and Dr. Xavier clearly didn’t want one. I simply proved that we didn’t need one.”

“By showing off.” Azazel said flatly.

Erik frowned. Had he been showing off? At the time he’d simply thought he was eager to be on their way, but there was no denying the fact that he’d felt a swell of pride when Charles gazed at him in wide wonder.

Azazel caught his attention once more with a concerned frown, “Was it a problem for him? Was he frightened? Did you explain yourself?”

“No, he seemed very excited by it. He was more intrigued than anything. The rest of the humans were terrified but what can you expect?” Erik dismissed their concerns out of hand.

“Yes, they had a meeting about you once you’d left. They’re even more demoralized after you little show of power, though some factions are still not ready to accept the surrender.”

“Keep me posted on that,” Erik made a note of it on his tablet while it was fresh in his mind.

“Of course. Now answer me since you wouldn’t let anyone listen in to your little liaison. Did you explain yourself to him?”

Erik sank into one of the lounges by his viewing wall, simply shaking his head. “He didn’t ask. I could tell he was bursting to, but I didn’t want to bring it up. He felt awkward enough learning that I’m one of four admirals.”

“You don’t want to scare him away,” Azazel nodded sagely.

“That shouldn't be an issue. He’s bold and curious.” Erik hid a fond smile by turning to gaze out the window.

“Then what’s wrong?” Azazel pressed, not getting the problem.

“He asked why we chose to induct Earth rather than just leaving them to their own devices.”

Azazel grimaced and rose from his seat to pour them each a glass of Erik’s prized Verulean wine. “That’s awkward. What did you say?”

“Nothing. He let it go this time but he wants an answer.” He took his glass from Azazel and took a deep drink as the other man settled into his seat once more.

“Oh, he’ll want answers, and if you ask me the sooner he gets them the better.” He said firmly. Erik thought back to his own parents’ often strained relationship and shuddered at the thought of reliving his fathers’ mistakes.

“Then maybe you can help me, you’ve done this before.”

Azazel took a sip of the fine wine with a satisfied sigh. “You’ve come to learn at the feet of the master?” he laughed at his own bizarre turn of phrase.

Erik gave him a blank stare, “What?”

“Look into the way your humans use words. They’re very eloquent,” Azazel shrugged.

“This is why I hate asking you for things,” he said dryly.

“I know. And still I’ll help you,” he said magnanimously. “I have a plan.”

~~

“So how was it?” Sean whispered eagerly, glancing across the room to where Moira and Armando were in deep conversation.

“You heard my brief, Sean. There’s nothing to add,” Charles replied just as softly.

“Oh come on, Charles. You came back all blushing and nervous without any details on how he caused an earthquake. Did he threaten you?” he frowned as the question occurred to him.

“No! I just…it didn’t come up,” he evaded lightly.

“For you? Mr. Curious?”

“I haven’t heard that one before,” Charles chuckled. “Seriously Sean, it was a nice time. _Not a date_. But he agreed to more outings with me.” He said with a blush, not mentioning that the Admiral had asked to stay in a hotel with him. Lord knew what the team would make of that.

Sean looked him over skeptically, glancing back at the other agents before continuing to speak softly. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Charles. Did you _see_ their list of demands?”

“Those were scientific requests,” he corrected firmly.

“The plants, maybe. The viruses and embryos, sure. The cancer cells and vaccines, okay. That’s all science stuff. But what about the corpses, Charles? Why do they need those?” he asked, fear sparked deep in his eyes.

“Those were bodies and organs donated to science, Sean. They want to research us and if they wanted to. If they _really_ wanted to they could take any living human they wanted and we couldn’t stop them. I’m grateful they only wanted corpses.”

Sean looked horrified at his words, but Charles needed him to understand.” I don’t think they plan on hurting us, Sean. _This can still end well,_ ” he insisted.

“See, that’s what worries me, Charles. You’ve given up on us getting out of this. I _thought_ you were trying to convince the Admiral to _leave us alone._ ”

“ _That’s not going to happen_. The Federation has accepted our surrender. I think we need to take the Admirals advice and _accept that_ ,” he said firmly. He’d thought it through a thousand times and he couldn’t see a way for them to go back to life before the invasion.

“There may be something good about this. They’ve offered an information share. That will be amazing for scientific advancement,” he added almost desperately.

“Charles,” he jumped and turned to find Armando standing just behind him with a worried look on his face.

“Yes?”

“Is that your stance? That we won’t be autonomous anymore?”

“Like I told you earlier, he’s an Alexander the Great style conqueror. We will still be allowed to keep our customs, political systems, and religions. I think it’s the best deal we’re going to get.” Charles insisted.

“I think Charles is right,” Moira cut in grimly. “There’s no point in hoping we can defeat an enemy this powerful. We can’t even track their ships. The Admiral told us there are a hundred ships orbiting our planet. It may well be ten or ten thousand for all we know. We can’t track them, we can’t sense them and we’ve see what they can do.” They all thought back to the impossible things they’d seen just two weeks prior and earlier that day in the meeting room.

Moira turned to Charles sharply, “The next time you see him try to get more information about our future and about his earth shaking abilities if you can.”

“I’ll do my best, Moira.” He promised, exhausted by the emotional day he’d had.

“I just. I feel like the other shoe is about to drop. And I’d like us to be as prepared as possible for whatever is coming next.” She sank down tiredly at one of the empty seats at the table. Charles placed his hand over hers comfortingly. Happy to have her on his side.

Armando sat down as well, looking deeply unhappy with their words.

Sean simply looked petulant. “Do you think maybe if you tried the _‘old fashioned method-_ ‘“

“We’re not pimping Charles out and hoping for the best,” Moira cut him off sounding tired if a bit amused.

“It was just a suggestion,” he muttered sullenly.

“A terrible suggestion,” Armando chuckled before flipping open a document on his Blackberry. “Let’s plan this next day out for you two.”

Charles shifted awkwardly in his seat and braced himself for a bad reaction. “That may take some doing. I think we’ll be gone for more than just a few hours this time…”

~~

Erik was eager to put Azazel’s plan into motion. “All set here.” His bridge commander announced. They were prepared for the worst should he need to be evacuated or should the humans find a way to mount an attack.

They were scrambling for ideas, a few small factions within specific militaries in specific nations that had no idea how closely they were being watched or how far off they were in their estimates of their battle readiness. It would be amusing if it weren’t so pathetic.

“Are you sure you want to take a full month?” Hank asked, tapping away at his tablet as usual. His men were shocked by his admission that he was taking a full vacation, something he hadn’t done in all his years as admiral. He was never gone for more than a week at a time.

“Yes, I’m eager for first hand view of my new colony. I’ll still be available if you need me, but I’m sure you won’t. Call me back anytime you need me. I’ll keep my locator on at all times,” he assured his men.

“Have fun,” Azazel said with a fanged smile.

“Perfect, we’ll be set with everything we need by then,” Hank said happily as though his red friend hadn’t interjected.

“Keep in touch with the humans, if they give you any trouble you know how to handle it,” Erik said absently.

“Are we allowed planet side?” asked Captain Summers. What he was doing on Azazel’s ship first at first report was something Erik really didn’t want to know.

“Inconspicuously and in small numbers only. I don’t want to see any of you on the news,” he said dryly. “Don’t make trouble and if you find it, handle it quietly and immediately return to your post for a full evaluation.”

“Yes Admiral. We know the drill. Now go on your tour,” Azazel said impatiently. Eager to be commanding officer of the northern fleet for a little while.

Erik took a deep breath and headed to the transporter, ready to meet with his ambassador.

~~

Charles leaned against the hood of the black SUV he’d taken to the private airstrip at the airport. He was bundled warmly against the sharp chill in the air. It was the first bite of winter, one of his favorite seasons and he took the moment to soak it in.

One good thing he could lay on the invasion was his renewed appreciation for every aspect of his life.

He was waiting outside alone, the rest of his envoy- Moira’s team and the FBI agents that had escorted them- were waiting in the surrounding non-descript black vehicles. Five of them in all. To think, just a few weeks before he was a simple college professor starting his second year teaching at Columbia and slowly making the acquaintance of his colleagues- most of whom were at least twice his age.

Now he was traveling in exalted company. He was saving the world. It was bizarre in the extreme.

“Hello Charles,” Erik’s voice startled him out of his reverie.

“Admiral!” Charles yelped in surprise. Knowing about teleportation and witnessing it were two very different things. Not that he’d actually seen anything, but that made it stranger still.

“I’m sorry to have frightened you,” he said softly, laying a slim fingered hand on Charles’ elbow to steady him.

“You didn’t,” Charles protested breathlessly. The white puffs of his breath clouding the air around them.

Erik frowned, “Your pulse increased, your pupils have dilated, your hands are trembling…those are signs of fear in humans yes?”

“Yes,” Charles admitted breathlessly. Trying not to think of what else those signs could point to. Namely infatuation.

“Is it the cold? Were you waiting out here long?” he stepped closer to Charles and pressed his hot fingers to Charles’ cheek. His lips thinned nearly to the point of invisibility and his irises darkened slightly to a pale mint green.

Charles glanced at his eyebrows-they were sky high. Apparently the Admiral was displeased. “I’m fine Erik, we just got here a moment ago and I just wanted to wait for you,” he reassured the taller man. He rapped lightly on the passenger window of the SUV he’d been leaning against. Right on cue, Moira and Sean stepped out of the back seat, holding the door open for the two men to enter.

Charles happily crawled back into the warmth of the car before leaning out and gesturing to a very confused Erik to join him. His hair flopped adorably over his forehead.

Erik glanced at the waiting plane before following Charles into the car. He thought it was odd that they hadn’t proceeded to the plane, but Charles had been disturbingly cold to the touch. He knew that humans had to carefully monitor their body temperature so maybe he needed to warm up before they left. Though plane should be heated, he wondered if Charles would need his body heat to stay warm during the flight…

“I thought you might want to see an old friend before we left, “Charles was smiling cheerily once Erik sank down beside him and one of the other humans had closed the door behind them. Another door opened and closed a moment later and Erik realized they’d been left alone inside the vehicle.

Charles unzipped a small soft carrier that was perched on one of the seats and coaxed a feisty Albert out into his arms. He mewled loudly and immediately crawled over his owner to scamper to Erik and paw at his belly and scramble up his chest.

“He throws me over for anyone warmer,” Charles said with a playful pout that had Erik’s hearts racing.

Erik caught him with nervous hands. He was many times stronger than a human and holding even touching Charles made him a bit anxious.

Feeling Albert’s tiny bones and tendons shift beneath his silky fur was even more surreal than the first time it had happened. Feeling his rapid heartbeat as he head butted Erik and lightly pawed his face before running his rough tongue over his cheekbones lovingly was strangely wonderful. Albert was excitedly meowing all the while, in fact he mewled each time Charles tried to get a word in edgewise causing the other man to laugh heartily at his little ‘drama queen.’

Erik gave him his tiny ‘human smile’ pleased to see Charles’ cheeks flushed from warmth and mirth rather than from the chill wind. He realized he’d have been happy sitting with Charles and playing with Albert for the rest of his time on Earth.

“He really likes you,” Charles scooted closer to run his hand down Albert’s spine, causing him to arch his spine into the touch.

Erik bared his teeth in a grin, “They really do that?” he mused, fascinated.

“Do what?”

“Move their spine thusly?”

“Yes?” Charles answered, confused by the question.

“I saw it on the reels, it’s very different to see in the flesh,” he explained as he cautiously handled the tiny cat.

Charles looked at him pleased and surprised, “you’ve been watching cat videos?”

“Yes?” he admitted shyly.

“That’s amazing! I have a whole YouTube playlist! We can watch it on the plane!” he leaned in to press his face close to Albert’s for a moment.

Albert pawed at Charles’ face for a moment before cuddling Erik’s shoulder and pressing his face into his neck with a rumbling purr.

Charles laughed again and guided Erik’s hand in gently stoking his multicolored fur, “He’s never going to forgive me for taking you away,” he said lovingly.

Erik felt a pang of tenderness at the smaller mans words, “I’ll see him again, yes?”

“If I have my way,” Charles said immediately, eyes soft in the low lighting of the car.

“You’ll always have your way,” Erik vowed. And though Charles took it lightly, he meant every word.

~~

The plane was heated. Erik was both relieved and a bit disappointed.

The pilot and co pilot had nervously but willingly answered all of his questions about the plane and aerodynamics. They were military and simply thought he was a high ranking foreign official. Erik was pleased with their level of understanding and made a note to speak to some of their astronauts when he got the chance. No doubt many of them would be eager to join the flight corps in the Federation.

Now they were settled into their seats on the luxurious private jet that could easily have seated 20 and even had a small bedchamber and lavatory on board.

The flight crew consisted of two flight attendants- one male and one female who were there to serve at their beck and call.

Charles sighed and settled in for what he hoped would be a nice trip with his new friend. He glanced at Erik who’d donned his sunglasses once more in order to deal with other humans.

“Erik, how do alcoholic drinks affect you?” he asked a playful glimmer in his eyes as the plane began to taxi on the runway.

~~

Erik was’ pleasantly buzzed’, as Charles had put it after ordering them chilled Champagne mixed with orange juice. He’d had Erik sample each individually before trying them together. He preferred Champagne alone, and Charles had laughingly called him a lush before ordering him another.

They’d leveled off high above the clouds and Erik took the time to enjoy the pleasant feeling of flying without being at the helm. It was more relaxing than he could have imagined.

As usual, alcohol loosened his tongue and lowered his defenses and he soon found himself regaling Charles with stories of other worlds he’d visited, foods he’d tried, and customs that were more bizarre than anything he’d seen on Earth.

Charles laughed along at his stories and plied him with champagne and a tart red fruit that he called strawberries. They went well together even though Charles had been visibly embarrassed when the stewardess brought them out and had muttered something about ‘Sean having a one track mind’ that Erik didn’t understand and Charles had bashfully refused to explain.

They spent the rest of their brief flight talking about their separate travels and what Erik hoped to see of Earth while they were out and about. He was mostly happy to leave it to Charles but did have a few specific requests that Charles was happy to see fulfilled.

In just over an hour they were landing at a private airstrip at LaGuardia Airport. Charles had eagerly directed Erik to look out over the massive city as they flew overhead. It was a feat of mechanical engineering that pleased Erik’s metal senses.

“There are so many things I want to show you,  I grew up just outside the city and I’ve always loved it. I could spend this whole trip in just one country and not be able to show you everything, but New York is sort of a little bit of everywhere. That’s the main reason I accepted the job at Columbia. It felt like coming home,” he said with a wide grin. “Besides, you’ve never had pizza so you have to get a proper slice before I take you anywhere else!”

Erik had basked in his enthusiasm and allowed himself to be shown around the airport which was massive and filled with more humans than Erik had ever seen at once. It was fascinating and he could have happily spent hours just watching them pass by intent on their own destinations. But Charles had other ideas.

They waded through the crowd and into another nondescript black Sedan complete with driver who was waiting for them.

“Prince Street Pizza, please!” Charles chirped brightly to the tense man sitting in the driver’s seat. He hadn’t stopped talking since they got off the plane. Erik recognized in him the bright delight of homecoming and soaked it in like a sponge.

The city sped past with Charles chattering the whole way, telling him memories about many of the places they passed. He laughed about how since Erik and his people had arrived the crowds were much lighter than usual, but he’d checked and his favorite pizza shop had never even shut its doors!

 He liked ‘pleasantly buzzed’ Charles; he was more tactile and carefree with his words.

“Do all humans have the same reaction to alcohol?” he asked, relaxed and happy as he hadn’t been in a very long time.

Charles shook his head with a slight grimace, “No, there are sad drunks, angry drunks, _violent_ drunks, lots of types of drunks.”

“And which type are you?” Erik wondered aloud

“Well to start _I’m not drunk_. It takes a lot more than a bit of champagne to get me pissed.”

Erik didn’t know if he meant drunk or angry so he stayed silent and hoped that Charles would continue without his input.

“But to answer your real question I’m told I’m a happy drunk.” he concluded brightly.

Erik liked the term and decided he’d rather like to see a 'properly drunk' Charles. Hopefully he would get the chance on this trip.

Charles was still talking and was excitedly gesturing to their approaching destination and reaching for the latch of his seatbelt at the same time.

Thinking back to Azazel’s dubious advice he decided now was a good time to let Charles see a bit more of what he could do.

When they pulled to a stop outside the small pizzeria, he unbuckled their seatbelts and opened the door before the driver could get out and open it for them.

Charles stared at him, open mouthed while the driver looked frightened and confused. He was a federal agent and clearly aware of who and what Erik was, but hadn't been prepared for that.

“What? How did you?” Charles looked from the door back to Erik with sharp curiosity.

“I’ll tell you as we go?” he asked, gesturing for Charles to precede him out of the vehicle, not caring for their nosy audience of one. Erik hoped the man wasn’t a professional spy, he wasn’t even _pretending_ not to listen.

Charles climbed out and waited for Erik to join him, about ready to burst with questions.

 “I believe you thought I could cause earthquakes?” Erik took him gently by the elbow and steered him away from the idling vehicle.

“Yes, from the tremors. They registered as a small quake,” Charles said curiously as they studiously ignored the fact that the driver was on the phone giving an immediate report on what Erik had just done.

“I can control elemental magnetism. Any ferrous metals can be bent to my every thought. As it happens, your planet has a core of molten iron. I can admit to having a bit of fun with that during our show of might.” He admitted warily.

Charles gaped at him, “ _You_ stopped the Earth’s rotation?”

“Among other things but yes, not all at once you understand. I did it slowly over the course of a few days so no one would be injured. It was difficult but very rewarding,” he said carefully, not wanting to come across as reckless or irresponsible.

Charles was stunned, that was an unbelievable godlike ability. He was standing with a being light years ahead of humans in terms of evolution. It was unreal to think that of the man he was rapidly coming to see as a friend.

 “We thought you had a machine or something that could…” he faded out, gazing up at Erik with a mixed expression that the taller man couldn’t decipher.

“No, it was me. Does that frighten you?” he asked after a short moment of watching rapid fire emotions flicker over Charles’ face.

The question surprised Charles, was Erik really so concerned of one mans opinion of him? Or was he asking if other people would be frightened?

“I’m fascinated by your abilities and I’ll probably talk your ear off about them. You’re something of a dream come true for a geneticist,” he admitted. “That’s not to say that other people won’t be afraid of what you can do,” he hurried to explain.

Erik was relieved that Charles hadn’t called off their trip or run screaming from him at this revelation; in fact he was still standing close so their conversation couldn’t be overheard by the driver who was watching them closely and filming them on his phone if Erik wasn’t mistaken.

He flicked his fingers and fried the gadget before turning back to Charles. He couldn’t care less about the reaction of others’ to his powers. “As long as you’re not afraid, I’m sure we’ll get along just fine.” He said with a tight grin that Charles returned more brightly.

He was shivering again, New York was noticeably colder than D.C had been and Erik was more than a little concerned. “Come, you can explain how you will ‘talk my ear off’ inside.” He herded Charles towards the entrance to the small café.

“Oh? Did that get lost in translation? You’ll have to tell me when I use colloquialisms you don’t understand.” He laughed and happily pushed into the warmth of the pizzeria.

It wasn’t until they were seated with steaming hot slices piled in front of them and ice cold beers on the side that Charles leaned in to shrug out of his coat.

Erik removed his as an afterthought- only having received it with the rest of his human wardrobe once they’d boarded the plane and not having needed it in the first place.

Charles had been scandalized once he noticed that the admiral had shown up dressed only in the suit he’d provided days before.

“Don’t worry, Charles, my body adjusts to a safe temperature for my surroundings so I don't waste energy. In temperate climes I maintain a slightly higher body temperature than the average human.” He’d explained to a concerned Charles as they were leaving the plane, but he’d still allowed himself to be buttoned into a fashionable overcoat and tucked into a scarf with leather gloves in his pocket.

“For show, we want to fit in don’t we?” Charles had asked with a worried pinch at the corners of his eyes.

Erik had simply stood still and allowed the other man to dress him warmly, basking in the closeness of hit fearless little ambassador.

~~

“Smells great, doesn’t it?” Charles asked as he waited for his pizza to cool a bit before beginning to eat.

Erik lifted a slice the way a woman two tables over was doing and took a small bite, “Hmmm.”

“Isn’t that hot?” Charles asked, incredulous. The grease was still popping on his plate.

Erik titled his head in a move Charles had come to translate as a shrug, “Not to me. This is very sweet.”

Charles chuckled at his use of the word, “I think you mean savory. Or possibly flavorful. Sweet was the Napoleons’ from the other day.”

Erik seemed unimpressed with the inefficiencies of English. “I like this, I like _this_ ,” he pulled a string of hot, melted cheese and twirled it around his finger before popping it into his mouth with another resonant hum.

“I thought you might, you really liked the cheese from the other day too.” Charles beamed. “Now try it with the beer.”

Erik did so, enjoying the chill, sour contrast with the hot pie. “This is also cheese? How many cheeses are there?” he rather thought he had a new favorite food.

“More than you can try in a lifetime,” Charles laughed at Erik’s slight frown, “Not that anything is stopping you from trying,” he assured him.

“Good,” Erik turned back to his plate happily as Charles finally started on his own meal.

They lingered until they had eaten their fill-which turned out to be a huge amount for Erik. Charles had hidden a laugh at the face the young man behind the counter made when Erik was placing his fifth order-this time for a white pizza.

Erik liked this set up better, when Charles was with him his full attention was on Erik, not on intermittent interruptions from young humans ‘who were only trying to earn a good tip.’ At least according to his empathetic ambassador.

Charles had eaten his usual amount but was pleased to sit in quiet conversation with Erik-who he suspected was trying to get him drunk.

He was succeeding.

After their leisurely meal, they’d stepped into the late afternoon sunlight and Charles had told the driver to shadow them as they walked a few blocks to clear their heads.

“I’m so excited to show you our hotel; it’s got a great view of the city.”

“And a hot tub?” Erik asked, mostly to watch a ‘definitely tipsy’ Charles attempt to stutter out an explanation.

“We’ll see what Moira managed to swing,” was all he would say, though the blush made an enjoyable comeback at his light questioning.

Charles was just drunk enough to be honest with himself that he was definitely attracted to the Admiral. To Erik, the stoic, cold eyed man he was coming to know. There was a streak of kindness he was beginning to sense ran deep in the other man, and that was the one thing that attracted Charles like nothing else.

Having been raised by a cruel man had taught him to spot it in others; the tiniest bit of cruelty turned him off like nothing else. He’d turned down more than a few dates based simply on the sharp glint hidden in the eyes of certain men.

Erik held none of that, even his mannerisms were gentle.  Charles sighed to himself as Erik tugged him towards the car at the first sign of his shivers returning. He was such a sap for gentle men.

He wondered how long he could keep his slight infatuation a secret from Erik and could only be pleased that the other man found body language so confusing. He was sure his was a dead giveaway.

 Hopefully the feelings would either fade, or he would find that Erik returned his sentiments and they could go from there together. In the meantime he feared falling for their new overlord and making a fool of himself over a man who couldn’t love him back.

Erik swung the door open and let Charles climb in first before quickly following to trap the warmth in the car. The driver was sullen, likely over the loss of his phone, but Erik cared nothing for his feelings.

“The hotel please,” Charles chattered, knowing the driver had their reservations.

Erik had claimed a seat across from Charles this time and took a risk. He leaned in and carefully removed Charles’ gloves to hold his hands between his larger, warmer ones. Giving him plenty of time to move away or stop him.

Charles sucked in a breath at his touch; Erik glanced up at the soft sound to see his pupils dilate at their contact. He smiled, so small he was sure Charles wouldn’t notice. The day couldn't have gone better if he'd orchestrated the entire thing himself. It had been perfection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! I have a lot of the next portion already written so I hope to get at least one more chapter in this week! I love your comments and questions so much! Please let me know what you think of the story, and let me know any questions you have about this universe, I'll be sure to answer them! XOXO!!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So you are looking forwards to our tour?” Erik asked, hoping Charles wouldn’t recognize the hesitancy in his tone. He hoped the other man saw this as an opportunity for them to get to know one another better, and not as a chore.

Charles ducked his head under the steaming rush of hot water and held his breath, trying to clear his head. He was more grateful than he could possibly say that the government had gone all out for this suite. It was the finest in the hotel, and possibly in the city.

With marble countertops, a dining area, den, two king-sized bedrooms with and two full bathrooms it was more of a luxury penthouse than a grand hotel. It was even more nicely appointed than Charles’ brownstone.

<https://www.baccarathotels.com/guest-rooms-and-suites/harcourt-two-bedroom-suite>

Their things had been unpacked by the time they arrived and his belongings were in the massive room with two double beds. The Admiral got the other room, the one with the king sized bed. and that mental image didn't bear thinking about.

Right now he was hiding under the guise of bathing. It wasn’t a stretch to say he loved long, hot showers, but he was mostly using the time to talk himself back into the right frame of mind for this expedition.

He couldn’t put his own selfish curiosity about Erik and his people ahead of Earth and all of humanity. But Erik had held his hands so gently in the car. He’d been so concerned about him… he wondered if he should take the time to ease some tension while he was in here, but something about doing _that_ -while thinking about Erik, with him just in the next room-felt wrong. He quickly rinsed off and stepped out of the shower.

He dried off in and wrapped himself in a luxurious Italian cotton robe before stepping into his room.

After their long lunch and the flight from D.C, he was tired enough to contemplate a quick nap. But he was worried enough about leaving Erik unattended for even the length of his shower. He had been enraptured by the view over the park and had entirely ignored their host showing them around the suite and explaining the amenities.

Charles was beginning to suspect the Admiral treated him differently than he did other humans. He had yet to decipher exactly what that meant or what Erik's endgame in all this was. He supposed that was the true purpose of this trip. So he dressed in more comfortable clothes than the suits he always wore in Erik’s presence and put on a pair of custom jeans and a soft, sky blue cardigan that he’d been told brought out his eyes.

He saw nothing wrong with wanting to look his best. Charles was sure he’d be just as concerned with trying to impress his department head if they were attending a conference together. The fact that he hadn't been when that had incident had actually occurred was immaterial.

He stepped out of his bedroom to find Erik pacing the floor barefoot, watching the carpet as he walked. It was oddly adorable, and his feet were fascinating.

Charles took a moment to observe him without being noticed. His feet were long and slender and his toes-if you could call them that-resembled tiny ineffectual fingers with no nails. Charles wondered how rude if would be to ask about them. Of course Erik had given him leave to ask any questions…what if he proposed a foot rub after their tiring day?

He groaned internally at his own thought- apparently Sean wasn’t the only one with a one track mind.

He glanced up to see Erik watching him silently; he’d definitely noticed the direction of his gaze. Charles felt himself flush with embarrassment and said the first thing that came to mind. “Your feet are very interesting.”

Erik tilted his head and approached him as slowly as usual, “They are very sensitive. More like your hands, I believe.”

“May I?” he asked in a nervous rush.

Erik gave him that tiny smile again and followed Charles to the small seating area and placed one of his hands in Charles’. His hands passed as human at a cursory glance. They were long and slim with five fingers on each hand. The differences were mostly structural. Each finger had an extra knuckle and no fingernails. The strength of his hands had surprised Charles earlier; they looked deceptively delicate but felt as strong as hewn steel.

It was somewhat disconcerting to be examining an alien creature while said creature was examining him. Erik made no secret of the fact that he was watching Charles, who had his head bent over his hand. He watched brief flickers of expression cross his face, and lost himself in the rays of the setting sun reflected in the other mans hair and even lighting those uncannily bright eyes from the side. He wondered how long it would take to catalogue each freckle that dusted his pale face.

Feeling very bold, he raised his unoccupied hand and brushed his fingers through Charles’ hair, pushing it back off his forehead with a gentle tug. It was thick and soft, different but reminiscent of Albert’s fur, though not as coarse.

Charles dropped his hand where he’d begun perusing his perfectly smooth palm. He sat back in slight surprise, or possibly something else, his pupils were dilated once more and his breath was coming in shallow puffs.

Erik couldn’t be sure that was a good thing, so he sat back as though nothing had happened. “You wanted to see my feet?” he changed the subject smoothly.

“What?” Charles asked, flummoxed by the shift in topic.

In response, Erik lifted his feet onto the plush sofa; he kept his knees bent so the space between them wouldn’t seem so large. Charles blinked at him before looking down at his feet, a look of amazement overwhelming his features the blink of an eye.

 _Focus, Charles_. He told himself firmly as he catalogued Erik’s rough, smooth skin. There were no visible lines on it, but it held the toughness of an animal hide. It was unusual to say the least, or perhaps not. Who knew how many Erik's there were out there?

He slid his hands along the smooth curve of Erik’s narrow feet and couldn’t hide a chuckle at the way his flexible ‘toes’ shifted and flinched at Charles’ lightest caress. Erik drew Charles into asking more questions about his physiology, wanting to keep the other man in close physical contact.

Charles seemed eager to keep space between them which, counter to his natural instincts, was apparently a good sign. At least if Azazel was to be believed.

~~

The time passed quickly, too quickly by Erik’s reckoning, as with their first meeting he was lulled by his young ambassador’s voice as he spoke softly to himself and sometimes to Erik. He asked probing questions- how fast can you run? How well can you climb? Do all of your kind have similar feet?

The answers to which were very (he’d have to ask Hank for the actual conversion), very well- though he personally preferred not to, and no.

If Charles had noticed him being cagey about the physical differences between himself and his men, he let it slide and simply asked after the proper names of various body parts.

Erik could translate the basics easily enough, eyes, ear, nose, etc. but Charles was a doctor and wondered about the proper names of individual bones and muscle structure. He hated to let Charles down, but he was a soldier and a diplomat, in that order.

The thought that Hank would have been better suited for this conversation rankled. He considered ordering the blue furred scientist to his side to answer any and all of Charles’ questions, but hated the thought of being the third wheel, of Charles turning that bright eyed curiosity to his lead science officer instead of him.

An idea struck as Charles slid two fingers delicately up the outer curve of what he called his ‘ankle.’ “Will you come to my ship after our tour? You can see the layout and ask the doctors any questions you have about my physiology.” And by then they should know each other well enough for all the explanations to make sense.

Charles’ eyebrows shot sky high, Erik braced for an angry outburst before remembering that it meant surprise and not anger in humans. He stifled a sigh.

_“Really?”_

“Yes.”

“I’d love to! That sounds _amazing!”_ he laughed, “If we didn’t have such a great trip planned I’d ask to go right now!”

“So you _are_ looking forwards to our tour?” Erik asked, hoping Charles wouldn’t recognize the hesitancy in his tone. He hoped the other man saw this as an opportunity for them to get to know one another better, and not as a chore.

“Yes, I’ve always wanted to travel but I’ve dedicated my life to study and then to my research. I haven’t been to a concert or seen a movie in years,” he shook his head tiredly. “Maybe I’m not the best person to be showing you around. Moira has been everywhere for the sake of her job, she speaks so many languages…”

Erik tuned out his praises of the woman. He was happy Moira was not here, but he didn’t want to insult Charles’ friend by saying so. Especially when he clearly admired her so much. He preferred not to dwell on that thought.

“I have never seen a movie,” he reminded the other man as he wound down, hoping it came across as lighthearted.

Charles grinned at him and reached for the remote, “We can fix that right now.” Charles flicked on the TV and was stunned to see the time. He was embarrassed to have spent nearly two hours slowly examining Erik’s feet, ankles, and calves. Equally smooth, equally alien, no jutting bones, but clear- _strange_ -muscle structure.

 _Way to stay level headed, Charles._ He mentally chastised himself. He was also more than a little dismayed to realize that Erik’s physical differences-at least the ones he’s seen so far- weren’t enough to be a turn off either physically or mentally.

He foresaw a future for himself on a trashy morning talk show pining over his alien lover. The object of pity, scorn, and sick fascination. He lost himself to his melodramatic musing after a long moment.

Erik had no hope of reading Charles’ rapid mood shift based on the odd look on his face. Why did human expressions have to be so complex? He wondered irritably, not for the first time.

He let Charles think while he straightened his clothes-he’d been surprised, and a bit shy about Charles so eagerly disrobing him. At least he hadn’t seemed repulsed by his exploration.

He gazed out over the view that had so entranced him when they’d first been shown to their room. The sight of the sun vanishing over the crest of the earth in a flare of color was breathtaking, especially as it highlighted the multicolored forest that was Central Park. Charles’ dulcet tones caught his attention once more. Good, he was back.

“Here, let’s see how you like a classic. People say it’s the best film ever made,” Charles queued up Citizen Kane and settled onto the sofa with a sigh. He loved black and white films and it had been a while since he’d spent an evening alone with a handsome man. He decided not to overthink that last point, or any of this really.

~~

Erik rejoined him on the couch and was immediately pulled into the story of the life of Charles Foster Kane.

He barely noticed when Charles rose from his seat about an hour into the film. he only glanced up when he rejoined him a few minutes later dressed in a soft t-shirt and what he’d called pajama pants. He looked rumpled and strangely exposed for a fully clothed man. Erik felt short of breath at the sight of him.

He startled a short while later when he heard soft voices and realized Charles was speaking to one of the servants. He stopped the film to follow the sound, only to see the servants entrance swing shut and Charles turn back to him and startle to find him standing so close.

“Erik! I have a surprise for you, but I had to ask for something special,” his eyes glittered with excitement. “Let’s go back to the movie before it gets here.” He ushered Erik back into the living room and restarted the film with a sly smile.

Erik felt foolish, his immediate concern was that he’d neglected Charles for far too long and he’d turned to another human for attention. It was an absurd thought with a bit more reflection. He suspected his desire for Charles’ attention was becoming something of an issue, he would try t keep an eye on it.

The movie sucked him in again and before he knew it, Charles was pausing the film and presenting him with two bowls of steaming fluff. He said as much and Charles laughed as he’d hoped he would.

“It’s _popcorn_ , Erik. Usually we have it with butter-that’s this one,” he gestured to one of the bowls and nodded for Erik to try some. He followed Charles lead and grabbed a few kernels and popped them into his mouth. It was hot, salty, crunchy. He thought he liked it. He tried a bit more.

It was good, but a bit distracting. He wondered why humans would want to distract themselves from a film with eating sweet treats.

Charles grinned, “I’m glad you approve. There are several flavors of popcorn, another popular one is _cheese._ ”

Erik perked up immediately and eyed the other bowl, “Yep, they made white cheddar popcorn just for you!” he grinned as Erik eagerly popped several kernels into his mouth.

It was amazing. “This is amazing,” he said around another mouthful once he realized that Charles was watching him eat with a soft look on his face. He sat down right next to Erik, earning him a surprised look.

Charles shrugged at that, “how else can we share?” he knocked shoulders playfully then restarted the film. _This is simple comradery, not flirting,_ Charles soothed his inner monologue. Besides, Erik looked adorable shoveling popcorn into his mouth like an overeager child. Who could resist that?

This time it took a short while for Erik to get back into the plot. The feeling if Charles pressed along his side was more of a diversion than he cared to admit, even to himself.

At least slippery slide of their fingers in shared bowls of popcorn served as a sufficient explanation for why humans equated this ritual with watching films. It was well worth the distraction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I did not intent to write this chapter, it just sort of happened. I hope you like it! Let me know what you think! More adventures next time! I begin to answer your delightful questions! Please let me know any others that occur to you! XOXO!!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Non sequential scenes from their trip! A bit more info on what the Federation is up to on Earth! Romantic misunderstandings occur!

Moira grimaced at the report Armando had presented to her moments before. As Charles’ handlers, they were considered the first line of defense when it came to alien interference with the human world.

“What is all this?” Sean was reading along with her and seemed just as baffled by the material presented.

“Agent Munoz, explain.” She said briskly, hoping to mask her confusion in professionalism.

He fidgeted his sleeve for a moment before answering, “It appears that the Federation is using a type of energy weapon on Earth to prevent violent interpersonal conflicts.”

He received blank looks from his teammates.

“People who go into an altercation with more primitive weapons- clubs, knives, what have you-wake several hours later, still armed and uninjured. If they attempt to start the altercation once more the same thing happens until the parties involved give up and go their separate ways.”

“What?” Sean still seemed lost, but Moira knew it was because he was such a visual creature and this was admittedly difficult to imagine.

“How long has this been going on?” Moira asked after a long moment of contemplation.

“We can’t be sure, we don’t know if the weapon is being called into play for small incidents like road rage and domestic violence, but we have received word of a street gang battle in mainland China that fell apart, and we have footage from the India-Pakistan border where armed militants went head to head. Or attempted to,” he corrected.

“Let’s see it,” Moira and Sean leaned in to watch the short video clip that had been uploaded just a few hours before and forwarded to the National Security Agency by the Indian government.

There was no sound in the black and white video that looked to have come from a storefront security camera. A ragtag group of irate looking men stormed into the town square and began smashing shop windows and throwing merchandise in the street, they seemed to be trying to provoke a fight more than they wanted to steal anything.

After a few moments of chaos, a few local men had similarly armed themselves and prepared to fight back. Just as the altercation was about to become physical, everyone involved had frozen in place for a split second before falling into what appeared to be an unconscious state. A time skip of two hours was indicated before the men- who had been left where they lay by the terrified townspeople-had begun to stir as though rising from a deep sleep. They had gathered themselves after a few minutes of confusion before stumbling away in various directions.

“Whoa,” Sean sat back, reluctantly impressed.

Moira was feeling much the same, “do we know the cause of the altercation?” she asked after re-watching the short video twice.

“Usual territory disputes, the families have lived there for centuries. Issues will arise,” Armando said as Moira nodded along to his words.

“Do we have any more information on this suspected weapon or its use?” She asked crisply, knowing she would soon be called to give an account of this recent activity.

“Not yet, we’re compiling data from around the world as we speak and hope to have a briefing set up for you within the hour,” he informed her of the actions of the combined national security agencies.

“Great, that gives me time to check in with Charles. Let’s get moving gentlemen. I want to hear from the CIA and the FBI within the half hour,” she rose from her seat and quickly dialed Charles hoping he’d actually answer her call.

He wasn’t great about doing that, though he did always return her calls and they always had their agents on hand with hourly updates of what he and the Admiral were up to. It was behavior that worried her more in a personal level than a professional one. She suspected that Charles was in way over his head with this mission, she could only hope that it ended as well as her young friend seemed to think it would.

The phone had nearly rung out when, “Hello?” Charles asked sounding bright and breathless, she wondered what time it was where they were and what he was up to. She could have looked at their itinerary for the day, but news of this new weapon was at the forefront of her mind.

“Hello, Charles,” She smiled into the phone, relieved to hear his live voice, not the voicemail message she'd been getting so frequently.

“Moira!” He chirped happily, letting her know he hadn’t bothered checking the caller ID before answering the phone.

“Charles, do you have a minute to talk?” she asked tensely.

“Anything for you, darling,” he sang happily into the phone.

She hated to rain on what sounded like a marvelous time but, “We have news of an energy weapon the Federation has put into use on Earth. Do you know anything about that?”

“ _What?_ A weapon?...No. Hold on.” Then she was hearing nothing for long moments until he came back with a more subdued attitude.

“It’s some kind of energy ray that responds to violet intent. Isn’t that _amazing?_ ” Moira struggled not to roll her eyes. He wasn’t subdued, he was in awe.

“Charles we need to know if the Federation is going to intervene in geopolitics like this. Some warning would have been nice,” she tried not to snap.

“Oh come on Moira, you all were happy for their help when you suddenly had all the information you could ever need about the drug cartels, human traffickers, pedophiles, serial killers and so on and so forth,” he said more carelessly than she cared for. “I told you, they value life above all things,” he sounded positively dreamy as he said it.

Moira had to concede the point that the Federation had provided governments around the world the tools they needed to shut down pretty much all heinous crimes in just a few short days. That had been one hell of a week.

They even been able to take down groups and individuals they’d been entirely unaware of before the information dump they’d received the morning after Charles left on his world tour with the admiral.

Moira had been more than a little suspicious of the timing. Like the Federation wanted them swamped with work and unable to properly devote their time and attention to what their resident invader was getting up to with his self appointed ambassador.

No, Moira didn’t like it, and she didn’t like Charles’ attitude about it all. But, as Sean had astutely pointed out, there was nothing they could do about it either way.

She sighed heavily and turned the conversation back to the topic at hand, “Charles, can you tell us more about the way this weapon works? How is it powered, does it cause lasting damage?” he was gone for another long moment.

“Sorry, I can’t tell you how it works. But there’s no lasting damage and yes, it’s in effect all over the world. Something to do with energy pulses in the atmosphere. It’s a judicious way to prevent violence. Like how hunters can still hunt and animals can still kill each other naturally,” he chattered excitedly.

That was another issue Moira had that the Admiral wouldn’t explain. How could a gun know it was being used to hunt for food rather than to kill another person? The same guns had been tested deer hunting, and then fired at people-even wearing Kevlar- the guns hadn’t worked. Aimed at dummies they worked fine, aimed at non game animals-nothing.

It was terrifying.

She felt like a small bird beneath the paw of a predator. Yes, humans were safer than they’d ever been. Yes, violent crime was down _100%_ and while she had always thought world peace was the end goal, this felt wrong and unnatural. How much was violence an inherent part of being human? If they were forced to change too quickly how would it shape them and the world?

How was Charles not terrified of the man responsible for all this? One of the most powerful beings alive in the galaxy, possibly the universe? Her young friend seemed dangerously enamored, she remembered him joking about Stockholm Syndrome when this had all started, weeks ago now.

She listened to him chatter on about how wonderful all this was and had to wonder if his comedic prediction had come true in the worst way possible.

~~

Charles hung up the phone after a lengthy chat with Moira. He knew she wasn’t happy with the answers he’d given but they were all he had to offer.

He hoped she understood and that he wasn’t making too much trouble for her and the team. He frowned; he hadn’t even gotten to ask about Albert before she’d rushed off the phone. Logically he knew his little cat was fine, but this was the longest they’d been apart since he brought Albert home. He couldn’t wait to see him again and give him the little trinkets Erik kept buying for him at their various stops. It was so sweet.

He turned to his friend who was watching him impassively, they were in route to their final stop before heading back to D.C. for a full debrief.  Then he would become the first living human aboard an alien spacecraft.

Erik had assured them that the Federation didn’t do abductions, at least not the kind they’d seen on online testimonials from ‘abductees.’

~~

“What would be the purpose of that?” he had asked, seeming genuinely perplexed as he and Charles had sat side by side during their flight to the Grand Canyon from New York. He seemed especially disturbed by the women who blamed their history of miscarriage on their past abductions.

“We value life, Charles. We don’t sterilize people against their will, or make it impossible for them to live in their own societies. That’s horrific; those are some of the worst possible crimes in the Federation. If these stories were true, the perpetrators would be tried and executed for their crimes.”

Charles had been breathless by the end of his impassioned speech, “I didn’t mean to upset you, Admiral. Very few people believe these testimonies as it is. Even now that we’ve been invaded, they’re still seen as mad by most,” he assured him softly, touched that Erik was so concerned about humans’ having a positive view of the Federation.

He had watched him silently for a moment, pupils darkened by emotion to a pale ice blue. “I don’t want you to fear me,” he said quietly as he gently rushed the back of Charles’ hand with his fingertips.

Goosebumps sprang up along his arm at the contact and he had stuttered a short breath. “I don't,” he answered honestly.

 It wasn’t until later as he was washing his hands before lunch that Erik’s words truly sank in _~I don’t want you to fear me~_ once again, exclusive to Charles and Erik with no mention of the rest of humanity or of the Federation. The realization sent a thrill of fear down his spine and a bit of something else that he refused to acknowledge, even to himself.

~~

Erik couldn’t believe how long it had taken them to figure out that their weapons could still be used just not against each other.

He thought for sure they would have figured out the energy disruptor long ago, but apparently most humans had been remarkably subdued since their surrender. As he’d explained to Charles, the weapon responded to the aggressor’s intent. If people were being knocked out rather than lightly stunned for a few moments, they’d meant to do grievous bodily harm or even kill their opponent.

Agent MacTaggert had sounded none too pleased with his explanation and Erik could only hope that she wouldn’t bring Charles’ mood down the way she did sometimes after they spoke.

He looked up to find those beautiful eyes watching him as a smile played about his full, pink lips. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,” Charles said softly. Erik was taken aback by the soft pleasure on his face.

His first impression of Charles had been correct; his face was open and easy to read. Especially now that Erik had spent just over three weeks in his presence and knew what to look for. He may never be able to read humans as well as they could read each other, but rather suspected he was becoming an expert in Charles Xavier. And that was certainly enough to be going on, at least for his purposes.

“I thought your governments would have figured it out by now,” Erik said with a small smile as Charles shook his head bashfully.

“No, they’re just putting it together,” he said, a soft smile playing about his tempting lips.

“You seem pleased,” Erik remarked lightly, knowing that was the case from hearing Charles’ side of the conversation.

“You know I am. This is _amazing_ , Erik.” he laughed. “You just made all the beauty queen’s wishes come true,” he sank down beside Erik, leaning into his space affectionately.

Erik had no earthly idea what he was talking about, he said as much, happy to watch Charles collapse into laughter again. “Ah. For that I guess I should explain what a beauty pageant is…”

Erik was only too happy to learn more about this odd society that had produced the wonderful man sitting next to him.

~~

“Victoria Falls, While it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, Victoria Falls is classified as the largest, based on its combined width of 1,708 meters or 5,604 ft. and height of 108 meters or 354 ft. resulting in the world's largest sheet of falling water,” their tour guide, a tall, slender black woman with the darkest skin Erik had ever seen was telling their small group. The glint of her teeth against the backdrop of her skin was distractingly beautiful.

He wanted to see a city of people who looked like her. He wondered how tall the men of her race were.

He noticed that Charles’ lips were pursed and instead of his usual behavior of making small talk with their guides, he stayed close to Erik’s side and appeared to be trying to stand as tall as possible.

Erik wasn’t sure what he was up to, he had been so excited to see the falls and now he had nothing to say about the fascinating information their guide was relaying to them.

He stepped aside, gently pulling Charles along until they were out of earshot of their locally assigned agents. “Are you feeling well?” he asked, worried. It was very hot here; Charles’ face was damp with sweat and flushed from the dry heat. Erik had tried to make sure he drank enough water. He was wearing light, airy clothing that should keep him cool, but perhaps it wasn’t enough.

“I’m fine; really, I didn’t mean to distract you. We’ll be within view of the falls in a few minutes, the spray will cool me down,” he placed a hand lightly on Erik’s forearm as he spoke. And even now the roar of the falls grew louder as the boat made its way down river.

Erik nodded, knowing his displeasure was clear to the other man. Charles had given a resigned sigh and reached up to gently smooth out Erik’s wrinkled brow. “Don’t fret,” he said softly before bringing his palm to rest against the high plane of Erik’s cheek.

“Alright.” Erik smiled, a wide one this time, though he knew it would frighten anyone who wasn’t Charles. “Let’s go see the falls.”

~~

Erik was stunned. He had seen a great many things in his life that made him feel insignificant to say the least. He had seen the birth and death of stars, planets made entirely of valleys of ice. He had been to worlds inhabited by massive creatures so old they defied comprehension. And yet, the things Charles showed him of this young and vibrant planet still managed to steal his breath.

The Falls, Victoria Falls, or as their tour guide called them The Smoke that Thunders, were awe inspiring. He wished for a moment that he was a different sort of man. One who could write songs, or poems to such world making beauty.

 Azazel had been right; humans had a wonderful way with words. Of course they must if they were going to live among such raw, unfettered beauty they would need the ability to describe it.

The deafening roar of the water made speech impractical; fortunately Charles’ awe struck face said it all. Erik slipped the cover off his camera, a fantastic little device that Charles had purchased for him before they left New York.

“Everyone needs the authentic tourist experience. I’m sure we can find a studio that will let you watch the development process,” Charles had said with a blush as Erik had focused the camera and taken his first photo right there in the shop. Charles surrounded by film equipment.

And now by one of the seven natural wonders of the world. He truly was lovely, and finally after all their time together, he was Erik’s.

~~

Charles was…confused. Erik had been eyeing their tour guide. This whole time he’d thought…well. Of course she was very beautiful and exotic with her lush accent and elaborately braided hair. And she was certainly closer to Erik’s height of 6’3” than Charles was at 5’8.” Perhaps height was the most attractive trait to Erik’s people. He sighed irritably. He was being ridiculous.

“Charles, are you alright?” Erik was at his side asking again. They were staying in a luxurious resort. The Royal Chundu in one of their private lodges. <https://www.rhinoafrica.com/zambia/victoria-falls/royal-chundu>

It was stunning, and he was out here on the deck moping about a love story that had only existed in his mind.

He was determined to start dating seriously once this was all over. The issue here was clearly his long, self imposed dry spell on the dating front.

“I’m fine, Erik. Today was wonderful wasn’t it?” he asked, feeling somewhat better as the taller man gently brushed his fingers beneath the hem of his shirt, across the base of his spine, causing his nipples to pucker embarrassingly in the cool evening air.

“Yes, this was my favorite place so far.”

Charles shoved him playfully, but kept his hands pressed lightly to his torso once he was done, leaning into his space, “you say that about every place we visit,” he scolded lightly.

Erik tilted his head in a prosaic shrug. “Perhaps Earth is my favorite place.”

Charles’ eyes widened at his words, they were wonderful to hear. “I hope so,” he said softly.

“They’re done setting up dinner, if you're ready to eat.”

Charles glanced around Erik’s narrow frame to see a lovely candlelit dinner set up around a white linen table at the rail of the balcony overlooking the river.

He had been too lost in thought to notice the servants coming and going. They were swift and silent. He was more than a little impressed by the level of service they’d received. Even his mother couldn’t have complained and that had been her favorite thing to do.

“Yes, let’s eat,” they had a sumptuous feast of fresh caught fire roasted fish and grilled vegetables. They ate their fill, talking softly about the amazing things they’d seen that day and what they hoped to see before their stay was over.

“You were right about not being able to show me even a whole country if we had stayed in one place the entire time,” Erik admitted happily. He couldn’t remember being so relaxed and content for such an extended period of time since his childhood.

“But it’s fun to try, yes?” Charles asked lightly, basking in the romantic glow of the flood lanterns the staff had lit before exiting the room.

“Yes,” Erik agreed. They sat in companionable silence and watched the sun begin to set. “Would you like to try the pool? I saw you looking it over earlier.”

Charles blushed, knowing Erik was only asking since they had a private infinity pool attached to their lodge. Charles had been adamant about Erik not revealing his body anywhere another human might see.

~~

“Your body, what I’ve seen of it- is too noticeably different. You pass a cursory examination, but anything further will be immediately obvious,” he had said firmly one night when Erik had coaxed him into the Jacuzzi on the private balcony of their suite in Rome.

It had been a night of shy exploration as they had each only been dressed in tight swimwear. Charles had hoped that the bubbles would hide his body’s reaction to Erik’s slim but muscled torso. He had visible ribs, but far less than a human would.

“That explains why your waist is so small,” Charles had said, half to himself as he gave in to his curiosity and waded across the pool to sink down at Erik’s side. His torso was a smooth plane, no nipples, no hair, no belly button. That was odd; he had been expecting one, considering Erik had confirmed that he had a mother. He wondered how gestation worked for his kind, but wasn’t surprised when Erik had refused to answer anything but basic questions about his anatomy and that of his people.

He had run gentle fingers along his collar bones, that had been so slender than they looked frail, but felt like living marble under his hands. His skin was once more reminiscent of a tough animal hide. And his strong arms had far more complex layers of muscle than Charles had ever felt. He was dying to get a look at an x-ray of this man.

He had been startled out of his investigation when Erik had placed a tentative hand on his thigh, just beneath the water. He had gasped lightly, blood rushing south, nipples hardening under that intense gaze, gone dove gray with emotion.

“Why do you have this?” he had asked softly, breath a sweet brush against Charles’ lips as he ran ticklish fingers up his flank to slip the tip of his thumb into the shallow indent of his belly button.

Charles had huffed a tense laugh, realizing their minds had gone to the same place at the sight of one another, “All humans have a navel or umbilicus…” he explained, then went on to shyly answer Erik’s questions about gestation and the purpose of his nipples.

“But you are male, so you cannot lactate?” he asked softy, as he teased Charles’ left nipple lightly with his sensitive fingertips, only stopping when Charles blushed and gently pushed his curious fingers away.

“Correct, though some men can lactate, we do have the equipment.” He shrugged, hoping that his friend wouldn’t notice his half hard erection just inches from his hand.

He couldn’t help but notice that Erik didn’t appear effected in that way at all. He tried not to take it personally. After all, they were a different species; Charles probably lacked some integral thing Erik needed to find a partner attractive.

Of course there was no telling how his genitals were formed in the first place, perhaps even now he was sitting with Charles with his own version of a full erection and Charles just didn’t know what to look for. He rather preferred that thought.

They had spent hours relaxing in the Jacuzzi after their tiring day sightseeing and people watching. Erik finally saw the appeal. Getting Charles loose limbed, warm, and affectionate was one thing, but to have him nearly nude was another gift in and of itself.

After their mutual exploration had wound down, they had settled down to talk about their favorite aspects of Rome so far. As Charles had predicted, Erik _loved_ cheese tortellini in alfredo sauce. But he had also surprisingly loved his fresh rolls dipped in olive oil, and raw oysters which Charles had never been able to stomach.

Erik loved the detailed frescoes and mosaics. The elaborate fountains and massive sculptures were a testament to the passion and creativity of mankind. He was deeply affected by their attempts to recreate the beauty that surrounded them. The fact that they could find such beauty in their own natural form was moving. He knew of many cultures that could only aspire to such a level of self love that seemed inherent in humanity.

“I love the way you see us,” Charles said softly, wrapping his hand around Erik’s slender wrist for a long moment.

Erik’s hearts had beat in perfect time at that, an idea occurred. He took Charles’ hands and placed one high up on his torso, just beneath his right collar bone and the other low on his abdomen, just above where his navel would sit were he human.

Charles looked up at him, pupils wide and dark, breath coming in short puffs. Erik knew enough to see that those were very good signs. “Do you feel that?” he asked in a low voice, unable to hide his natural smile at the ‘goose bumps’ that trembled up Charles’ neck at his words.

“Feel what?” he asked breathlessly.

“My hearts. It may feel like vibrations to you.”

“I feel it, but it doesn’t feel like a heartbeat to me. Not any kind I’ve ever felt.”

“Perhaps my skin is too thick,” he murmured, taking his hands away from their place around Charles’ wrists, pleased that the smaller man didn’t notice, and left his hands where they lay.

“Perhaps,” Charles murmured absently.

“When we go to my ship, I’ll let you see my hearts beat,” he promised, letting his hands drift to rest on Charles’ thick, lightly muscled waist. He was perfect.

~~

“Yes, we can try the pool,” Charles agreed somewhat reluctantly. He would be hard pressed to keep his hands to himself, especially if Erik insisted on touching him as regularly as he liked to do.

He had changed in his bedroom while Erik stepped into the plush, adjoined dressing chamber to do the same.

They met at the edge of the pool and stepped into the brisk water at the same moment; Charles shivered and couldn’t help but laugh as the water steamed off Erik as his body rushed to regulate his temperature to match his surroundings.

“Can you swim?” Charles shivered, waiting for his own, slower system to adjust.

“Yes, but I’ve never done so in water.”

Charles’ curiosity was piqued, “What have you swum in? Where? How did you learn?” he bit his lip anxiously, hoping his outburst wouldn’t irritate the Admiral.

Erik only smiled, he loved when Charles forgot himself, forgot to treat him as an elevated official and only saw him as Erik. He was eager for the day that would become the norm.

“Come here and I’ll tell you,” he rested against the wall of the deep end of the pool, letting the water ripple over him.

Charles eagerly obliged, swimming to his side with sure strokes and settling next to him. He was gorgeous like this. Backlit by the sun, skin burnished from the kiss of that same star. Erik ran his fingers through his wet hair, loving the way the texture changed depending on its state.

“I learned to swim when I was a child, my father taught me, he saw it as an integral part of his sons’ education. The same with running and climbing and any other physical endeavor you can imagine.”

Charles remembered Erik telling him he preferred not to climb. He wondered if the pressure from his father to do well had ruined the experience for him. He didn’t know how to ask without seeming rude.

“How did he feel about his daughters’ education?” Charles asked, trying to lighten the mood a bit from the slightly melancholy feel that had fallen over his companion.

Erik tensed further at his softly worded question and for a long while, he thought he wasn’t going to answer at all. He watched Charles patiently, his irises darkening to a watercolor teal before he finally said, “I’m an only child. My mother could only bear one safely.”

Charles had no doubt that he was telling the truth, but that was clearly not the whole story. Still, it was more than Erik had ever said about his family, so Charles was touched that he was finally opening up to him.

Charles cursed his foolish heart. This wasn’t love; it was simply the result of their romantic journey. Once they were back to normal life, surely these feelings would fade.

Erik hated to withhold information from his friend. Their trip was coming to an end and soon he would have to be perfectly honest with his ambassador and his entire race about why they had been chosen out of all non Federation planets still scattered across the galaxy.

He tucked Charles under his arm, relishing the feel of his soft skin beneath his palm and the tickle of his hair against his jaw. They watched the sun sink in glorious detail over the far bank of the river, each lost in his own thoughts about their future and that of the Earth itself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? We have some pretty big reveals coming up very soon! Please ask any questions you have! The next chapter will be more scenes from their journey! Keep and eye out for your requests! I may have to add UST to the story tags!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few more bits of their trip! Charles is debriefed! Continuing romantic misunderstandings!

Erik woke instantly as usual. He needed far less sleep than his ambassador did, and used the frankly excessive time Charles spent sleeping to investigate their surroundings more thoroughly.

He received daily reports on the fleet and Federation news, but that only took an hour at most out of each day to deal with.

He paced outside to watch the sunrise over the massive river, the way this planet teemed with life would never grow old. The sheer variety of birds was staggering; Erik could only imagine what the science department was getting up to with all these samples.

Azazel had informed him that they had requested two more massive batches of them since he’d been gone. That was a great sign, and Erik couldn’t wait to show Charles the amazing things they were sure to be up to when they made it to the ship.

He glanced at the time, Charles was sure to be asleep for several more hours, especially considering their travels and adventures the day before. He smiled at the memory of their swim the night before and wondered if it was too soon to tell his parents about his relationship with Charles.

~~

Charles woke trying to remember where they were. In spite of the early hour, it was hot. Though there was a cool breeze coasting through the lodge. He opened his eyes slowly to the bright light of mid morning; the white sheets of mosquito net reminded him of their location with a rush.

Last night had been amazing, so intimate and sweet. But he couldn’t forget Erik’s other actions of the previous day. His appreciative interest in their lovely tour guide had brought him back to the reality of their situation. He had no idea what Erik or the Federation wanted from humanity. He vowed to find out before the end of this trip.

He couldn’t let Erik return to his duties in the outer galaxy without knowing what they had planned for them. He had attempted to bring it up several times over the course of their trip, but it hadn’t happened.

~~

They were standing on an island in the middle of Lake Baikal in Russia. “Siberia,” Charles was already shivering in spite of his warm winter gear. Erik had been entranced by the depth of the water, apparently the deepest lake on the planet.

If he wasn’t so concerned about his ambassador freezing in the frigid weather, he would have stripped down to nothing and explored the depths on his own.

To think, it grew so cold here that this entire, massive body of water would soon freeze through, was strange to think. It thawed and froze each year, and these massive temperature fluctuations were considered normal.

Then again, Earth had been through numerous Icehouse and Greenhouse ages during their deep history, he supposed that explained humans finding the massive temperature differences across their relatively small planet normal.

He looked around the ancient forest they stood in and took a deep breath of the crisp, bracing air. He was reluctant to head inside, but when he pulled Charles’ balaclava out of the way, the edges of his lips were pale and chilled.

He hustled them back through the small tourist town and into their accommodations, happy to see Charles being coddled by the staff and fussed over for having ‘thin blood’ whatever that meant.

They had spent the rest of the night curled together- _finally for warmth!_

Erik was vindicated.

 It had been an excellent few days; he loved the freezing wind and the nature that had adapted to the sub zero temperatures. This was the closest he’d been to the either of the poles since landing on the planet and his powers felt supercharged. He’d never felt so connected to any planet, he supposed it was the iron core combined with size of the planet that made him feel invincible on Earth. It was wonderful beyond words and not something he could have imagined had he not experienced it firsthand.

He could only imagine how his mother would react to the Lake and to Earth itself. The sheer amount of water would be enough of a reason for her to visit.

He only wished he could share the feeling with Charles, especially when the Aurora Borealis lit the sky. He had literally lifted himself off his feet, electrified by the visual representation of his most powerful ability.

He hadn’t slept that night, and had even broken one of his personal rules- _don’t wake Charles_ \- to share it with him as best he could.

They had dressed quickly and warmly-overly warmly according to Charles and dashed out into the night like children sneaking off from their studies.

It was a magical evening. There was light snow on the ground and he and Charles had an impromptu snowball fight. He had taken so many pictures of his little ambassador lit by the multicolored glory of the night sky.

It was one of the fondest memories of his life.

~~

Charles had been surprised to wake in the still hour of the night with a penitent Erik kneeling at his bedside and asking him to come and see the night with him.

That was the way he’d phrased it “ _come see the night with me?”_ Charles had been charmed in spite of himself and twenty minutes later found him so bundled against the cold his former nanny would have been impressed.

They had walked through the small town, silent in the night and skirted the edge of the massive body of water surrounding it and them. The crackle of ice and snow beneath their feet had been the only sound that broke the quiet of nature.

Erik seemed to be high for lack of a better term; he was smiling widely-for him- and talking about the connection he felt to the Earth, the moon, and his ships in orbit.

Some of his explanations of this phenomenon sounded like advanced string theory. Charles was intrigued.

Then Erik had stopped suddenly and gazed at the sky unblinking for long moments before turning to Charles nervously, “Do you feel safe with me?” he asked softly.

Charles had nodded heart in his mouth. He could admit that he wouldn’t have felt safe walking alone this far into the unknown with anyone else.

With Erik, he was never afraid. It was a strange thing to say, especially given what he knew the other man could do, but facts were facts. He trusted Erik with his life.

“Come here,” he said softly, reaching for Charles hand and pulling him close.

Charles’ heart was pounding so loud he was sure Erik could hear it, “Wh-what are you doing?” he asked shakily as the Admiral pulled him close with a hand low on his back and the other braced against the back of his neck.

“What do you think?” Erik asked, leaning in so close that Charles instinctively tilted his head for a kiss that never came.

Instead their feet left the ground. Quite literally as Erik lifted them from the Earth and guided them up into the glittering night sky.

“Admiral,” Charles yelped, clinging tightly to the taller man in shock and no small amount of fear. Were they being beamed up to his ship?

He never should have agreed to leave his agents behind without telling them where he was going! Moira was going to kill him. Who was he kidding; he was never going to see any of them ever again.

“Breathe, Charles,” Erik’s quietly amused voice brought him back to the moment where they were levitating just above the tree line silhouetted by the quarter moon.

“What’s happening?” he asked, still pressed closely to Erik, curiosity getting the better of him and finally working up the nerve to look around in wide wonder.

“I told you I can control magnetic fields,” Erik had informed him smugly.

It had been the single most amazing thing to ever happen to Charles.

~~

They had spent a marvelous few days on Lake Baikal, speaking to the locals and learning about life in Siberia. Erik was impressed to see how differently humans lived based on climate, region and culture. In spite of those things, the similarities they shared were striking and clear.

Erik rather suspected that understanding one group of humans would give him deep insights into all of them and the inner workings of their minds and societies.

He and Charles had shared a lively conversation on the matter that had lasted for most of their flight to Japan, which was their next stop on their journey and one of the few placed Erik had requested to visit.

“That nation has created some of the most popular technological devices of this century. I’d like to see how they live,” was all he’d said on the matter.

Charles had only been too happy to oblige, he’d never been to Japan, but it had been a lifelong dream to go and here he was, an honored dignitary.

They had been greeted at Tokyo Haneda Airport by their unnecessary foreign detail that was really there to spy on them. Erik had made a game of frying their gadgets so he and Charles could have as much privacy as possible.

He wondered why no one had told Charles about his habit, but he suspected they were afraid of angering him. Whatever the reason, he had Charles to himself for most hours of any given day.

Erik loved Tokyo. It was reminiscent of the glass and metal maze of Manhattan that had so stirred his senses.

This city had even more people crammed into every corner, watching them go about their lives could have occupied him for days and he was given plenty of time to do just that. Which he could only thank Charles for, his ambassador understood him better than anyone ever had. Even his own parents often found his predilections inscrutable.

While in Tokyo, they had gone for dinner at Sukiyabashi Jiro, arriving a few minutes early for their reservations. They had dined on the full tasting menu and found that it wasn’t just oysters that Erik loved, it was raw seafood in general. Charles wasn't as big of a fan.

In spite of the massive amounts of sushi they had eaten and green tea they had drunk, Erik had been eager for more, they had eaten traditional Japanese cuisine every day of their stay and Charles had finally asked, “Is it the best?” in a teasing tone.

Erik had taken the question very seriously and pondered for a long moment, “Best cuisine, yes. Best food? No.”

Charles had laughed aloud at that, “Cheese?”

“Cheese,” Erik conceded sheepishly.

~~

~~

“Charles?” he snapped out of his reverie with a start. Moira was leaning over the table, notes spread out around her as the rest of their team took notes on his every word.

“Yes?” he asked, trying to seem fully engaged in this never ending debrief. Based on the look Moira was giving him, he’d failed.

“Would you say he enjoyed Japan the best?”

Charles shrugged, not able to answer her question fully. The Admiral had found something to love about each of their stops, and he was deeply reticent about sharing the intimate details of their personal conversations with the team.

If it was just his friends he wouldn’t have minded so much, but he knew that everything he said would be shared around the world within the hour.

“Charles…” Moira’s voice took on a warning tone, she was exasperated with him and that made him feel guilty. He owed her so much, the world did. And he was making her life far more difficult than it needed to be.

“I think he liked the Maldives best,” Charles admitted after a moment of thought.

She looked so relieved that he felt guiltier than ever.

“And why is that?” She asked, sitting back down to type hurriedly on her laptop.

Charles sighed, how could he explain Erik’s wonder at the sight of the Milky Way spread above them? Or the vastness of the ocean stretching on into the horizon? His pure curiosity about the luminescent phytoplankton that turned the ocean waves into a glittering, wondrous shore?

<http://cdn7.viralscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Bioluminescent-Plankton-4.jpg>

Erik had taken dozens of photos of the islands and they had spent one perfect night splashing in the waves while Charles expounded on the wonders of marine biology.

Then it had been Erik’s turn to teach as they had lain side by side on the sand, the tide nipping at their ankles as the Admiral had pointed out the various stars they used to chart their course through the infinite vacuum of space, and the ancient myths of his people surrounding the creation of all things.

Charles wondered if he wasn’t projecting his own favorite stop onto his companion.

“Charles?” Moira sounded absolutely done with his wandering mind.

“He liked the ocean,” was all he said, unwilling to share those memories with anyone else.

She quirked her lips irritably and turned back to her typing with a vengeance.

He supposed he wasn’t a very good ambassador, at least not when it came to his own people, and hadn’t that been the point of all this?

“Moira, I’m sure I’ll have more to give you when we get back from my tour of his ship, the Admiral promised to explain everything to me. He said it will be easier for me to understand if I can see what he’s talking about.”

Moira didn’t like the sound of that at all, “Why can’t he show you down here? Why does he need to take you into space? And why on Earth did you agree to go with him? _Alone?_ ” She demanded, irate.

Charles knew it looked bad to an outsider, but he couldn’t turn down the adventure of a lifetime. The chance to go into space, to see the next stage of scientific advancement before anyone else on Earth.

She glared at him like she’d heard his every thought, “Curiosity killed the cat, Charles!” She snapped in frustration.

“But satisfaction brought it back,” Armando cut in firmly.

They all darted glances to him in surprise, he was always the cautious one among them, the voice of reason. He sighed at their stunned looks.

“Look, Moira. Charles has gotten us this far. The Admiral clearly cares for his well being and by extension his happiness. Charles, you’ve spent a lot of time with this guy and if you trust him, I say we keep a good thing going.”

“I don’t like it either, this could have all been a scam to get Charles off world then kill the rest of us,” Sean cut in worriedly. “You’ve seen how the Admiral acts! To him there are only two people on Earth,” he held up his fingers to count off, “Charles and everybody else!”

Charles had a moment to wonder what he meant by that, Erik had warmed up to many of the people they’d me on their travels. He tried to interject and explain that the Federation had a purpose in mind for Earth and its residents, but the argument was still going strong

“Sean,” Armando cut in sternly.

“I’m sorry ‘Mondo but you’re compromised too!” he snapped anxiously.

“What?”

“I’ve seen you and that guy talking; he comes down to collect the samples. Tall, blonde, looks a lot like the Admiral but with fewer teeth and more bones!”

That was an odd description, but when Charles glanced back at the other agent, he looked bashful. “We just talk, we’re friends.”

Moira looked stunned, _“What?”_

“It’s not like that Moira, he’s a good guy. He’s the captain of his own ship and his brother is a member of the Northern Fleet as well.”

“That sounds like more than a few minutes of conversation at a goods exchange!” Sean cut in sharply.

Armando tapped his stylus on the table nervously, “We may have gone for drinks a couple of times. Nothing more than that, I swear!”

“Why didn’t you say anything before now?” Moira looked baffled, “Were you _ever_ going to say anything?”

“Yes, of course I was. But I didn’t want to get him into trouble with the Admiral over a few nights out,” Armando placated her ire.

Moira looked them over with a gimlet eye, “I’m very disappointed in _both_ of you. Is there some mind control device that Federation is using to make you forget your loyalties to your own kind?!” she slapped her hand on the table for emphasis.

“Of course not!”

“Alex wouldn’t do that!”

Charles and Armando said at the same time before sharing a sheepish glance.

Moira was livid, her own team was tearing itself apart at the seams, how was it that Sean was the only one in her corner on this?

Charles and Armando were whispering amongst themselves while Sean leaned in, trying valiantly to eavesdrop.

This was getting ridiculous, “Dr. Xavier, Agent Munoz,” she began firmly.

“What if I didn’t go alone?” Charles cut her off abruptly.

“What?” She was thrown by the sudden subject change.

“What if Agent Munoz went up as well? He’s a trained agent, I’m sure Admiral Lehnsherr and Captain Summers will agree,” Charles suggested hesitantly.

Moira wanted to refuse, to put her foot down and keep them both safe on Earth, but she knew when things were beyond her control, and this was definitely one of those things.

“Set up a meeting with them and we’ll discuss logistics,” she said wearily. Her phone chirped, notifying her that it was nearly time for her to present her report to the higher ups.

 “This meeting is adjourned; Sean will help me with my presentation. You two, talk to your contacts. I want to know exactly where you’ll be going and for how long you’ll be gone.”

They both looked guiltily relieved as they quickly collected their things and made their way out the door, she sank back into her seat with a sigh. She opened her eyes to a concerned Sean looking her over.

“What are we going to do, now?” he asked helplessly.

“I don’t know,” she replied truthfully. “I think we just have to let this play out.”

~~

“You said we could go planet side! I didn’t make trouble or end up on the news; we didn’t talk about the mission or anything like that. We just…talked.” He stood at attention, hands clasped firmly behind his back, staring straight ahead. He’d been repeating versions of this answer since Charles had come to Erik and asked him about brining an agent along on his tour of the ship.

Erik glared at Captain Summers. He would call him his less favorite Summers but he hated them both equally. One for his smug superiority and the other for his bullheadedness. Which was exactly the issue on display.

Erik was livid; he hadn’t blinked in nearly an hour. He paced to stand just in front of Captain Summers where he’d been standing since Erik summoned him to his quarters for a dressing down. “You take him to _your_ ship and show him around. Show him a nice time and let him speak to his people whenever he likes. Let him leave whenever he likes. Treat him as an honored guest, he’s a friend of the ambassador and I won’t hear of anything happening to him. Understood.” It wasn’t a question.

Summers flinched. “Yes, sir.”

Erik bared his teeth at the shorter man, “Dismissed.” He watched as the captain fled his quarters as quickly as he could while maintaining a sense of dignity.

Erik frowned; it was sheer blind luck that Summers hadn’t spilled about their purpose to his ‘friend’ during their ‘talks’.  Charles was due to arrive the following day for his mush anticipated tour.

Erik would have liked a bit more time to show him around and immerse him in Federation life, but perhaps it was better this way. The next time he saw Charles, he’d have to tell him everything.

In spite of his concerns over how their conversation would go, Erik was more than ready to have Charles on his ship. He was eager to finally have his mate at his side where he belonged.

~~

Charles was incredibly nervous about his trip to the ship. His feelings were a jumble, he was mostly excitement, but there was a great deal of fear too. They had only been back for three days and he missed the Admiral like they’d been separated for a year.

Charles had poured his heart out to Albert who had been overjoyed to see him and had lightly clawed his arms in welcome. They had gone over every moment of his time with Erik that had seemed even mildly flirtatious and come to a thrilling conclusion. There was some hope that Erik liked him more than a friend.

 They were currently snuggled together in Moira’s guest bedroom while she held a conference call in the dining room downstairs.

“So then you agree?” he asked his little cat as he scratched beneath his chin. Albert purred happily, eyes squinted shut in ecstasy.

Charles took that as agreement, the next time he saw Erik alone, he was going to kiss him. It was a terrifying prospect, who knew how the other man would react? But Charles couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t even try.

“We’ll just have to hope for the best,” he told Albert firmly, trying to quiet the butterflies in his tummy. Albert mewled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry! I'm still going to show more scenes of Erik's firsts in future chapters so keep an eye out for your requests! XOXO!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Memories from their trip! Convo with Armando! Charles goes into space! Some big reveals!

Charles sat next to Armando in nervous silence. They’d had a long talk about what they knew of the Federation based on their relationships with its representatives. It was precious little.

He hadn’t realized at the time how little Erik was telling him about the Federation and how much he was simply sharing his own past. It was odd yet flattering to think that such a reticent man trusted him so implicitly and on such brief acquaintance.

Armando had fared no better in his dealings with Captain Summers, “We can talk for hours, I feel like I know him. I trust him, he’s a good man.” He confided in Charles softly. “He’s told me about his parents and his brothers, and the things they sued to get up to as kids. He told me about joining the military and how hard he worked to become captain of his own ship-especially in the northern Fleet. Apparently the Admiral doesn’t suffer fools lightly,” he quirked his lips at Charles as he said that last bit.

Charles had to agree with that assessment. “He really doesn’t. You saw how he treated the other agents who were assigned to us on our trip.” Charles referenced the Admiral’s habit of ignoring them and refusing to allow them to do their job by ducking them whenever he pleased and frying their equipment on a consistent basis.

Armando frowned as he remembered that, “he’s always treated our team better. Maybe Sean was onto something when he said _you_ matter to him. Not all of us,” he was beginning to look concerned again and Charles desperately wanted to reassure him that wasn’t the case.

~~

He remembered one of their many rambling walks through the ancient city of Rome. He’d have been hopelessly lost a few turns from the hotel, but Erik never lost his way. They had been walking along, enjoying the warm weather and the chatter of Italian all around them and he’d looked at Erik’s stern profile to see a certain sense of contentment playing around the edges of his mouth.

Then Charles had somehow found himself on opposite teams to the Admiral as he and Erik engaged in a rollicking game of street soccer with a group of children whose antics had caught their attention.

He was lithe and athletic and somehow spoke all the major languages on Earth- a fact which came in hand on more than one occasion as they traveled the world. The kids loved him and begged them not to leave. He could tell that Erik was surprised by their open acceptance of him; he seemed almost bashful about it.

Charles had been hopelessly charmed by the scene and had gotten Erik to ask them the best place to buy gelato in the city.

And so a small herd of children guided them to a small restaurant set into the side of an ancient villa turned office complex.  Charles laughed at the look on Erik’s face as Charles had knelt to allow one of the smallest boys to climb on his back for a piggy back ride. After Erik had translated with a blank look that Charles had come to interpret as confusion.

“That one wants to ride on my shoulders?” Erik had asked after simply observing Charles passenger kick at his sides eagerly and demand he pick up the pace in imperious Italian.

“Just set him on your shoulders and expect him to pull your ears and hair,” Charles said with a sappy grin. Of all things he hadn’t expected the Admiral to be good with kids.

It was a good look.

Erik had gingerly set his hands around the boy’s waist like he was terrified he would shatter at the lightest pressure. He had lifted him and set him on his shoulders, letting him cling to his hair and kick his chest with his heels. The other kids cheered and hustled them along the narrow alleyways and winding hills of their small neighborhood.

Charles had bought them all a cold treat for their exertions. And had laughed at the open wonder Erik showed as the sweet cream melted on his tongue, “It may be more like a shake for you,” he laughed, referencing the Admirals higher body temperature.

Then his heart skipped a beat as Erik had let one of their newfound friends sit on his lap to eat her own strawberry flavored confection, happily swinging her feet and chattering on about silly things as she slowly worked her way through a small scoop, managing to get herself, the table and Erik rather sticky in the process.

Erik hadn’t voiced a word of complaint and had watched blankly as Charles had wet a napkin and wiped her face and hands before letting her run off to get into trouble with her friends on their sugar high.

“How was dessert?” he’d asked as Erik led them back to their hotel and their assigned agents who they’d lost hours before their pickup game.

“Delicious, very sweet,” he glanced at Charles to see his approval of his use of the word. “Very…soft and smooth. Flavorful and cold. It was nice after the game, you and the kids were over heated,” he frowned at the recollection of their flushed cheeks and sweat damp hair. He would never understand how humans were still alive when they couldn’t appropriately regulate their body temperature.

Charles had laughed and bumped arms with him companionably, “I’m glad you liked it. Gelato is one of my favorite treats. I my opinion, it’s the best ice cream there is.”

Erik had smiled at that, “How many kinds of ice cream are there?”

Charles had sighed playfully, pretending to be irritated by Erik’s curiosity. “You’re going to make me fat if you keep this up.”

~~

He couldn’t help but remember how sweet Erik had been to the kids, and how much he’d enjoyed people watching in each city they visited. Charles could admit that the Admiral gave him preferential treatment, but he had no doubt that their journey had left Erik with a real love of Earth and its inhabitants.

“He cares for us all, Armando. You can’t tell me that you don’t trust Captain Summers even if you don’t trust the Federation. It’s the same thing; they’re individuals just like we are. Trust me; the Admiral has placed the Earth under his personal protection. He’s a good man.”

Armando had given him a long, level look. “You’d do well to remember he’s _not a man_. He may look like one, but he _isn’t_ one.”

Charles had been nettled by that, “Is that what you have to remind yourself of when you’re having _‘friendly talks’_ with the handsome captain?” he jibbed sourly.

Armando had looked affronted before the melting into resignation, “Yes, actually. It is. Sean and Moira may be right. What are we _doing_ here, Charles? Are we being tricked into betraying our own kind? They _seem_ like good guys and they’ve certainly made the world a better place, but that doesn’t mean they’re trustworthy. For all we know they plan to enslave us or eat us or lord knows what. This could all be a shadow game that we’ve played right into.” He said, concerned.

Charles knew he was right, but he hated to admit it. “We’ll find out when we go up, don’t give up hope. Without that we have nothing.”

Before Armando could answer, Moira walked in, lips pursed forehead creased with worry, eyes bright with censure. “It’s time.”

They stood quickly. “They’re here?” Armando asked, hiding his nerves as best he could.

Moira nodded, lips thin with worry, “Yes.”

Just then, Admiral Lehnsherr and Captain Summers stepped into the room. They looked entirely blank. Charles felt his heart nearly burst out of his chest at the sight of Erik after their brief separation.

He was an undeniably gorgeous man.

The officers made their way over to their human counterparts.

“We’ll be teleporting. Here,” Erik said quietly, offering his arm for Charles to grasp. His eyes drank in the sight of his mate’s smaller form. The time apart had been untenable and he was relieved that it was over.

Charles linked their arms and stepped close to his side as Armando did the same with Captain Summers.

“Ready?” Erik asked, waiting for Charles to nod his agreement.

“Yes,” he said more excited than nervous. Then there was a strange bubbling sensation in his blood and they were standing on the bridge of a spaceship.

Charles gaped about at the men stationed around the bridge. There were similarities between some, but most of them had radical physical differences from anything Charles had ever seen.

The bridge was a perfect circle done up in gray and dark red to match the uniforms all the officers wore. He couldn’t make heads or tails of the technology surrounding him.

“Where is Armando?” he asked after glancing around again, trepidation creeping into his tone.

“On earth for a few more minutes. I promised you’d be the first human onboard didn’t I?” he said with a small, playful smile.

Charles couldn’t hide his pleased grin, “Thank you.”

Erik placed his hand over Charles’ where it was still nestled in the crook of his arm, “come let me show you to the chambers so you can get settled in.” He led the way, listening to Charles ramble on asking questions and making clever observations. With his mate by his side, everything was right with the universe.

~~

Charles walked around the massive living quarters that the admiral had shown him to. There was a seating area, soft flooring and levitating panels that he supposed served as tables.

It was futuristic for lack of a better term.

“Here,” Erik took his hand gently and pressed his palm to a small screed barely larger than his hand. It chimed after a second, _~Welcome Dr. Xavier~_

He had startled at that, “I already programmed it with your information; it just needed your biorhythms to add you to our system.”

Charles had been stunned by the ship’s AI knowing him and the Admirals nearness after their brief separation. He tried to drum up the courage to bring their lips together in small kiss, but let the moment pass as Erik began to show him how the gadget worked.

“You can change the density, texture, color, hardness and softness of any surface in the room,” Erik said nervously, not wanting to overwhelm his mate.

Charles had been taken aback by the unrelieved eggshell white of everything, but with a few taps of the thin device he was standing in a room with pale blue walls, a hardwood floor with matching countertops, and dark brown leather furniture.

His mouth dropped open in shock. Erik smiled at his reaction; he’d known Charles would love it. He wanted to wow him as he showed him around his new home.

“Erik, this is amazing!”

He had walked further into the room, running his hands over the walls, and furniture in appreciation.

“And here is how you open the window,”

“What?” Charles had turned to him in shock, not sure what to make of that statement, after all, they were deep in the void of space, well out of Earth’s atmosphere.

Erik enjoyed the moment as Charles looked at him, framed by the Earth’s massive moon just behind him.

“Turn around,” he said softly Charles did, only to stumble back in surprise, “Erik, how?” he raised his hand and pressed it flat against a smooth surface the exact temperature of the room. It showed no reflection back to him of the room or its inhabitants so he startled when hot, firm hands closed gently around his shoulders.

He turned to face Erik, only to find him watching him with those pale, inscrutable eyes shifting to light amber as he gazed down at him. He had so many questions about all that he’d already seen, but at that moment, the only thing he could think of was kissing the man he’d fallen for.

Charles placed one hand on the Admiral’s shoulder and the other on the back of his neck to guide him down into a soft, chaste kiss. Heat swept through his body at the small contact and he gasped against thin, stern lips that moved gently against his mouth.

He pulled back after a long moment to gauge Erik’s reaction. He looked stunned but happy and allowed Charles to pull him into a slightly longer embrace. He wound his arms around Erik’s neck and nestled his fingers into his short hair with a pleased sigh.

“Erik. I missed you.”

~~

Erik was in shock. Of course over the course of their journey they’d had many conversations about human customs so he knew what a honey moon was, but he never suspected his mate would want to initiate intercourse so soon in their relationship.

Of course sex was an integral aspect of human mating behavior so he shouldn’t have been as surprised as he was.

“Charles,” he murmured against his full, cool lips. “You want this?” he had to be sure, this was a major step in their bonding and not something that could be undone. The noble part of him wanted to make sure they weren’t rushing into things, but the base part of him wanted to bind Charles to him for the rest of their lives, the sooner the better.

Charles stepped back, looking anxious, “don’t you? It’s fine if you don’t I-“

Erik cut him off before his rambling ruined the moment, “I have always wanted you, Charles. From the first time I heard you speak.” He ran a smooth hand over the curve of Charles’ cheek like he was something precious.

Alarm bells went off in Charles’ head. Was that what their whole trip had been about? Wooing him? Not getting to know Earth? he felt trepidation tremble through him until Erik said, “You were right about everything you said. Earth is wonderful. The people, the plants and animals, even the bacteria is a study in the pure wonder of biology.”

 _Its precious to me because it’s all related to you._  He didn’t say. _Without earth and all its wonders there would be no you._

Charles was thrilled that his plan had worked; he couldn’t wait to tell Moira and the rest of the team that Erik valued them all. It was a huge weight off his shoulders that Earth was under the personal protection of this wonderful man.

“Yes, I want this Erik. I want to be with you,” he said confidently, worries pushed aside. They had time to discuss all the rest, but for now he wanted to celebrate their love physically. He’d been desperate for Erik’s touch for weeks, and now that he had it he wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip away.

Erik smiled his broad Earth grin and gently tugged Charles towards the wall, as they approached, a panel opened leading to another large room all done in white with more small platforms at various intervals.

Erik quickly tapped out a beautiful bedchamber with thick cream carpeting and pale green walls with gold accents. The side tables were done in weathered white wood and matched the four posters of the massive canopy bed that dominated nearly a full wall of the large room.

Charles was impressed and touched that Erik had clearly been paying attention to his likes and dislikes. He couldn’t have made a more perfect room for himself if he tried.

“Erik, its lovely.” He said softly, eyes glowing in the low light of the room.

Erik was happier than he could ever remember being, “I’m glad you like it, Charles. I want you to be happy here,” he gently pulled the smaller man into careful embrace, always mindful of the strength difference between them.

Charles ignored the red flag that sent up in favor of leading Erik to perch on the edge of the bed so they were of a height to one another.  He stepped between his spread thighs and placed his palms on Erik’s smooth jaw.

“I’d like to show you that kissing you were so keen on,” he referenced Erik’s intrigue as they watched Moulin Rouge. At the time it had sent him into a long, embarrassed explanation but Erik had seemed almost relived to learn what it was. He’d never gotten a straight answer as to why that was.

Erik smiled broadly again; thrilled that Charles wanted this just as badly as he did. He wasn’t making his father’s mistakes, they’d be happy together in a way his parents could only dream of.

“Show me.”

They spent long moments tangling tongues and running careful hands over each other wherever they could reach.

By the time Charles pulled away with a gasp he was sprawled across Erik’s strong chest where the other man had fallen back onto the soft surface of the bed. “Are you sure you’ve never done that before?” he asked, voice raspy with desire.

Erik looked affronted at the question and lightly manhandled him to rest against massive pile of pillows at the head of the bed before ranging over the smaller man and caging him in with his body.

“What would you like, Charles?” he asked, glad that the smaller man had given him enough time to prepare for this. They had spent ages kissing, and if he hadn’t felt evidence of Charles’ enjoyment he would have worried that he was boring the other man.

Charles blushed, “Well. I can show you what I like and you can show me what you like. I know we’re very different species so I don’t expect us to…” he faded out as he felt the distinct impression of an erection pressed low against his belly.

He glanced down between them in shock, trying to make sense of _-very large-_ bulge he saw in the Admirals uniform trousers.

“I-what?” he asked stupidly. Though in all fairness, most of his blood wasn’t in his brain at the moment.

“We’re not so very different,” Erik murmured against his cool mouth, loving the temperature contrast on his tongue and lips. He couldn’t wait to have that soft mouth pressed to other areas of his body.

He sat back onto his heels and stripped off his uniform Jacket, trying to accustom himself to the heavy weight straining trousers that weren’t made to contain his current physiology. He preened at the sight of Charles watching him hungrily.

“How did you hide that from me? I thought you had a different reproductive system entirely.” _That would make sense. He has no belly button, he’s never been aroused by you before._ His brain chimed in logically. Another red flag. “Erik, what’s going on?” he asked, trying not to be as aroused as he was watching the taller man strip off and reveal a massive, entirely human looking cock and balls.

Erik tilted his head and blinked at him in a move that Charles had come to recognize as confusion. It was helplessly endearing.

He felt his heart contract as Erik looked uncertain, “You said you would show me what you like?”

Charles felt like an utter fool. Perhaps the ship being able to change design was based on the physiology of Erik’s people being able to do the same. He had to admit it took some of the wondering out of how exactly this would happen. He had been terrified that at the moment of actual intercourse he would encounter tentacles or viscous goo or something that would be so foreign and horrifying that he’d have to back pedal from physical intimacy with Erik.

“I-well now that you’re. I’d love to have you inside me,” he finally managed to stutter out, relived that Erik seemed to easily able to get back into the mood at a moment’s notice.

“How?” he asked hotly, openly eyeing Charles’ mouth.

“Lots of ways really. But I wanted to show you how to finger me.” Charles blushed, glad that he’d decided to err on the side of positivity and had prepared himself for just this eventuality. Though now they may be able to go beyond fingering.

Erik grinned as his cock gave a hard pulse at the words falling out of his lover’s sexy mouth. “Show me.” He planned on saying that rather a lot in the coming hours and days of Charles’ stay.

“Gladly,” Charles huffed as Erik ranged over him again, pressing his hot body along Charles’ front and gently rutting against his firm thigh with a groan. Charles pushed the rest of his questions and concerns aside and eagerly introduced Erik to human lovemaking.

~~

Later, hours later judging by how sore he was in a very pleasant sense, Erik carried him through another panel hidden off the main room and into a bathroom with a standing shower stall, a toilet, and a deep Jacuzzi tub. The floor was a soft, super absorbent microfiber that felt warm against the soles of his feet when Erik set him down. It was all done in creams and pale gold.

“This is marvelous, Erik he said after Erik had started filling the tub and he’d made use of the facilities. “When did you set this up?”

“While you were sleeping,” he said with a softly look at the other man. They had long ago come to terms with the fact that Erik only needed about 1/3 of the sleep Charles did.

They stepped into the tub to continue cuddling while the water jets soothed their tired muscles. Charles leaned back against the raised wall of the tub, pulling Erik to recline back on his chest.

He ran his hands over the smooth, slim plane of his lover’s torso, feeling his hearts vibrate under his palms. He couldn't wait to get to the labs and see the wonders they offered.

H glanced down at the now flaccid cock resting against Erik’s thigh and felt a smug sense of pride that he’d worn the other man out with their exertions. Erik had taken to love making with a fierce desire that Charles had enjoyed stoking in the taller man.

“Is that going to go away again?” he asked languidly, resting his cheek against Erik’s smooth, prickly hair.

“No, it’s permanent. You can make use of it whenever you like,” Erik said cheekily, running his dexterous fingers over Charles’ legs to make him wriggle.

“What? How is that?” Charles asked, confused. The red flags were all back with a vengeance by the time Erik tilted his head back to look at him.

“Since you’re now my mate my physiology will remain compatible with yours for the rest of our lives,” he explained slowly, as though he was the one who was confused.

“What? When did we become mates?!” Charles demanded, shocked. “Is that what sex means to you? To your people?”

He rather suspected he needed to warn Armando if it wasn’t already too late.

“Well, the mating is now complete. Full intercourse wasn’t required for that, but it is the fastest way to seal a permanent bond,” Erik was baffled by the emotions flickering so rapidly over his mates face. He simply couldn’t keep up with whatever Charles was relaying.

“So. Wait. What? How many mates do you have?” Charles demanded shakily, wondering if he was now a part of some intergalactic harem.

Erik was deeply offended, “One. You.”

Charles wasn’t sure if he was relieved to hear that. Though he supposed it made sense if Erik had _permanently changed his body_ to be with him.

“Are you going to take more human mates?” Charles asked, mind whirring with this new information.

“No. We only take one mate in our lives,” Erik said tersely.

Charles was silent for a long, long time.Trying to work out everything he had just learned. That had been Erik's first time. Erik was his mate. Erik had wanted him from the day of the surrender.

There was something he needed to know. “Admiral. If I hadn’t initiated intercourse, would we still be mates?” he asked, terrified of the answer.

Erik frowned deeply, “Yes. You agreed to become my mate at the Smoke that Thunders.”

 _“What!_ When?! How?!” Charles was legitimately baffled.

“You engaged in intimacy, _very publicly I might add_ ,” Erik said stiffly, wondering if his mate was going to attempt to reject their bond. He had some bad news for Charles if that’s what was happening here.

“Intimacy?” Charles asked faintly.

“This,” Erik raised his hand to press against Charles’ brow lightly.

“Touching your face?” he felt a little breathless by now.

Erik frowned, “Yes, of course.”

 _Of course_.

Charles tried to stay calm, this wasn’t just about him. This could very well affect Earths relationship with the Federation. He took a trembling breath, “I think it’s time for you to tell me what being a mate means. And why you’re actually here.”

Erik nodded. There could be no harm in it now; Charles was his for life regardless of his feelings on the matter he thought bitterly. Worried that he’d made his father’s mistakes even after all he’d done to avoid them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise to try and update quickly! this next chapter is giving me some trouble so send me good vibes! Please let me know your questions! I don't want to leave any confusing gaps! XOXO! Love you guys!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short Chapter! Erik finally answers some questions! Charles has feelings!

After they dried off and dressed themselves in tense silence, they returned to the main room where a platter of roast chicken with grilled vegetables was waiting for them on a dining room table set to match the décor. The food was still steaming. They each had a glass of water and pale lavender liquid in a wine glass.

Charles was intrigued by where it had all come from and what the unknown beverage was, but he restrained his questions in order to hear Erik’s explanation of the more pressing questions he’d asked.

Charles tried to stay calm as Erik ushered him to his seat, ever the gentleman. He waited for Charles to take a bite and looked pleased at Charles’ approval of the dish and the wine. It was fruity and tart with a sweet after taste.

“This is good juice, what fruit is it from?” he asked to break the stiff silence that had fallen over them.

“It’s wine from another world. I’m glad you like it.” Erik said softly. “Please, eat and I’ll explain everything.”

Charles tucked into his meal, happy to have something to do with his hands to ward of the nervous tension that had been building in him since Erik’s announcement that he was his chosen mate.

Erik watched him thoughtfully for a long moment before speaking, “I come from a distant planet in another galaxy. It’s called Genosha. My people are an ancient race, older than any other species we’ve ever encountered.

Genosha is massive, several times larger than Jupiter. We have colonized our entire solar system which is comprised of seventeen planets and three suns. This colonization includes moons and even a few orbital asteroids.”

Charles was stunned by this information, he could hardly believe what Erik was telling him and he had no hope of imagining it. He bit his tongue to stave off the eager questions attempting to tumble out of his mouth.

Erik continued to watch him closely, unblinking in his regard.

“I believe you suspect that my men and I come from different planets and that’s why we all have such varying physical appearances and abilities.”

 _~Abilities?~_ Charles wondered what he meant, but didn’t want to interrupt to ask.

Erik noticed his confusion and said, “Like my ability to control magnetic fields. We each have our own tricks.”

Charles nodded warily, unsure of where this was headed.

“In a way we do come from separate planets, but most of us were born on Genosha or on ships like this, which are considered Genoshian land. It’s rare for any of our young to be birthed on another world. It’s an important part of our culture.”

Charles swallowed thickly and took a nervous sip of wine to clear his throat, “So you all are from different worlds? Genetically speaking?”

He supposed with an empire as large as the Federation it would be like people being born in different countries.

Erik fell silent again still and unblinking for long moments before saying “Genetically speaking all Genoshians are male.”

Charles drew a blank.

“What?”

Hadn’t Erik said he had a mother?

“We are all male; no females are born to us. We take mates from our colonies and procreate with them.”

Charles felt sick. “And you all are always male?”

“Yes.”

_“How?”_

"You’ve seen. My body was able to change to match your reproductive system. The same can be said of my men. Our mainly “humanoid” appearance comes from our fathers, but our physical differences come from our mothers.

“So the blue furry guy?” Charles asked faintly.

“Yes, his mothers people are strong and agile and evolved on a dangerous fast growth jungle planet. It has one of the most bizarre eco systems we’ve ever encountered.”

Charles tried to take this all as best he could, “And the red man?”

“He’s something of an enter dimensional being. He can teleport. All his mothers people can.”

“And you? Your mother? Can she control magnetic fields as well?” he wondered aloud.

“No, she can control liquids, but water is the easiest for her. She’s from a waterlogged planet with even less visible land than Earth,” he said, a fond tinge to his voice.

 _~Then how had you never swum in water?~_ he didn’t ask, not wanting to derail their conversation. Then it hit him.

“You all are here to take women from Earth?!” he shoved his chair back from the table with a start.

Erik thinned his lips and raised his eyebrows but Charles couldn’t be tasked with Erik’s feelings at the moment.

“You can’t do this! This is _sick!_ You’re going to take them away _from everything they’ve ever known_ and _mate_ them and have them give birth to your young on another _planet_ in _another galaxy?!_ “

Erik was taken aback; he’d never seen Charles so upset. He looked lovely like this and he wondered if his biological changes were impacting the way he saw his mate’s upset. He tried to stay on track, he needed Charles to understand.

“You asked what Earth can do for the Federation. You all have slightly more women born than men. And you’re prolific breeders that remain fertile for many decades of your lives. Your species is a wonderful find. You may be the answer to our inability to produce daughters.”

“You can’t kidnap women and make them baby machines, Erik. That’s _wrong_.” Charles was livid.

Erik rose to his feet, palms outstretched and conciliatory, “They’ll have a choice. I told you we don’t force anyone to do anything.”

“I didn’t have a choice and now I’m your mate or so you tell me! So what does that mean? Can we undo this? Because I don’t want anything to do with you right now!” Charles declared bitterly, pacing away from the table to gaze out the picture window, unable to stomach being in Erik’s proximity just then.

Erik spoke up softly after a long while, “No. we mate once and for life. I’m sorry for the misunderstanding.”

He sounded so lost and defeated that Charles felt his impassioned resolve weaken in an instant. He didn’t trust himself not to cave if he looked back and saw Erik’s sad eyes, so he kept his gaze fixed on the moon.

“You used me. You’ve trapped me and now you’re going to do the same thing to the women of my planet and turn them into incubators. I can’t even look at you right now.” He said quietly before escaping back to the bedroom and sliding the panel shut.

Erik frowned, that could hardly have gone worse. But at least Charles hadn’t demanded to leave. He thought back over their conversation, frown deepening as Charles’ heated words replayed in his mind. He already had another misunderstanding on his hands and Charles had been his mate for less than twelve hours. And apparently he felt tricked into it.

Erik sighed and called for Azazel to come to his quarters immediately. While he’d messed up badly, he didn’t think they were beyond hope.

 _~Azazel to see you~_ the door chimed after a brief wait.

They needed a new plan, and some more backup. That’s where his second in command came in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! It's my Birthday!! I'm 30! Yikes! Anyway I hope you like these reveals! So Much More to Come! Let me know your questions! I'd hate to keep you in the dark about anything! XoXo!!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter set up! Erik being sweet and crazy! Alex being crazy! Armando has feelings! We meet a mystery guest!

Charles sat on the large, comfortable bed he had so recently shared with Erik. With the man he loved who he thought loved him. Was Erik capable of love? Did Genoshians factor that in during their cold hearted decision making process?

He had raged for hours in his mind, going over and over his conversation with Erik until at long last he'd fallen into a fitful slumber. When he woke, he had no idea how many hours had passed or what day it would be on Earth. He changed out of his sleep crumpled clothes and into a fresh outfit, still trying to make sense of the absurd turn his life had taken.

He opened the picture window in the bedroom and gazed out into the void of space. He wished he had someone to talk to, but all of his friends from his old life didn’t have clearance for this and they certainly weren’t close enough to discuss the intimate details of his bond with the Admiral at any rate.

He thought about calling Moira or Sean. They’d be happy to have him check in with them and he finally had most of the answers they’d been after all this time. But he wasn’t quite ready to share.

He knew firsthand the kind of panic that would ensue and he wasn’t ready to reveal that he’d blundered his way into a marriage with the most powerful being in the galaxy.

He sighed and ran his fingers irritably through his hair. What he needed was a good cuddle; he wished he’d thought to bring Albert along. No use for it he supposed.

 He’d just decided on asking to speak to Agent Munoz when he heard soft shuffling on the other side of the thin panel that led to the main room of his quarters.

 _Mew!_ He turned towards the panel quickly, heart in his throat. That sounded like- _meow!_ His excitable, yowling kitten.

He rushed into the main room without a second thought only to find Erik gingerly attempting to pluck Albert’s claws from the fabric of his uniform.

“Albert!” his cat leapt off of Erik and twined himself eagerly around Charles’ ankles until he stooped to pull him into his arms.

He looked at Erik, bemused by this unexpected and rather sweet turn of events.

“You said you like to talk to him when you’re upset. I know you don’t want to talk to me right now so I thought I’d bring you the next best thing.” Erik said quietly, eyes shifting from opaque to a deep winter blue-the darkest Charles had ever seen them.

The color was beautiful.

He stiffened his resolve and refused to be charmed by the thoughtful gesture. A prickle of concern drifted down his spine.

“How did you get him here?” he asked, breaking his own rule about not speaking to Erik for the foreseeable future.

Erik tilted his head and took a cautious step closer, “I teleported down to Moira’s home, he came right to me.” He reached forwards and gently rubbed Albert between the ears, pulling a rumbling purr from the little traitor.

Charles sighed, why did he have to seem so kind and sincere? “Thank you, Admiral. I’m happy to see him just now. Is it possible for me to speak to Agent Munoz?”

Erik blinked and bit down on his immediate reaction to refuse. He wanted to keep Charles here with him until he understood and accepted all Erik had to share with him. He glanced at the time. They had a few hours until his backup plan arrived.

“Of course. Would you like to see him in person or speak to him over coms?” he asked solicitously.

“In person if he’s available, please tell him it’s urgent,” Charles said firmly, still cradling Albert against one shoulder.

“Of course. He should be awake, its morning. you slept through the night.” Erik nodded and tapped out a quick message on his tablet. “He’ll be here momentarily. Can I fetch you anything while we wait?” he ran his fingers softly against the small hairs at the nape of Charles’ neck sending goose bumps chasing down his arms.

Charles thought of a few ways he’d like to work through his frustration with his overbearing _mate_. He pushed those thoughts aside; sure the Admiral would only see angry sex as a reward for bad behavior.

He took a few steps back and shook his head, “No. Thank you. Albert will need a water bowl and some food soon,” he added after a surge of guilt rushed through him at the crestfallen look that came over the Admiral at his physical rejection.

He perked up a bit at that, “I’ll see to it.”

Charles set Albert down to explore their exciting new surroundings. He seemed intrigued by the feel of the walls beneath his claws. Charles wondered idly about programming a scratching post for his quarters but decided against it. Knowing his cat, he’d just ignore his toys and keep clawing at the walls.

 He used the wait time to make use of the facilities and freshen up for the day. By the time he came back out of the bathroom, Erik had designed and implemented some sort of cat heaven inset into one of the walls of the main room.

Albert yowled loudly from somewhere in its depths.

 _~Captain Summers and Agent Munoz here to see you~_ the door chimed a few minutes later. Albert leapt out and ran under the sofa at the sound of the disembodied voice.

Charles straightened up and glanced at the door then at Erik who looked entirely blank about the arrival of their guests. “Thank you, let them in please.” He tried to hide his surprise as the panel slid open silently.

Armando stepped in first and surveyed the room; he relaxed his vigilant stance when he saw Charles. He stepped in and clapped him on the shoulder, giving him an appraising once over before turning to make introductions.

“Charles, you remember Captain Summers, I know you only met briefly before.”

They shook hands warily, almost as if the Captain was afraid to get to close to Charles. He kept eyeing Erik who had stepped in close behind Charles to greet the other men with a severe look.

“Captain Summers will accompany me to the bridge for a debriefing, take as long as you like.” The first part was said to the group at large; the last was directed more genially to Charles. He tried not to soften towards Erik, but he was making it very difficult.

Captain Summers looked like he wanted to protest but he said nothing and simply wrapped his hand around Armando’s wrist for a quick moment before preceding Erik out the door with a last, longing glace at the two Earthlings silhouetted by the moon.

~~

Erik marched Captain Summers away from his living quarters and towards the bridge, leading him into an empty conference room before they got arrived.

“The ambassador and I have officially mated.” He said abruptly

“Congratulations,” Alex said automatically. He was impressed; the Admiral certainly didn’t waste any time when it came to matters of the heart.

“Have you spoken to your paramour about our culture?” Erik asked abruptly.

“Not yet, nothing in depth. He’s very clever and has been happy to spend time learning about our electronics and star charts. He’s a natural, and very curious. I don’t want to scare him away,” he confessed dourly.

Erik wasn’t interested in how clever Captain Summers’ mate was, but he tried to be polite. Charles would approve. Besides, according to his mate, he needed to practice his small talk. “Have you introduced him to your brother?”

~~

Armando was horrified and that was putting it mildly. In the few weeks since he’d come to know Dr. Xavier, he’d come to admire and trust the man, but what he was telling him beggared belief.

“Charles, if this is true then we need to alert the government _now_ ,” he stood from his perch on the couch and began pacing, running a hand over his close cropped hair in a nervous gesture. “We can’t sit on this; it’s bad enough that we’re up here without backup!”

Charles cut him off sharply, “Think about it! What good will it do? We can’t _rebel!_ We have no hope against their level of power. If they want to take every woman and girl on Earth there’s _nothing_ we can do to stop them! But maybe with diplomacy we can…mitigate their plans.”

“General Stryker has been working on a counter offensive. They may have come up with something by now,” Armando suggested weakly, knowing it was a farfetched hope even as he said it. But they needed to at least examine the possibility.

Charles sank down onto the couch with a sigh, hanging his head wearily, “Eri- _The Admiral_ said they give the women a choice. I don’t know the…details of that. I didn’t ask.”

Armando nodded in acknowledgement and swallowed thickly, “We need more information. I’ll request to send a message to Moira with what we already know. I don’t know about you, but as much as I want to leave, I think us being here is the best thing right now. I’ll get as much as I can from Ale-Captain Summers and you get what you can from the Admiral. This changes _everything_ ,” he kicked the leg of the couch in frustration, earning him an agitated hiss from Albert.

Charles couldn’t help but agree, but as embarrassed as he was to admit what had happened between them, he couldn’t let Armando blunder into the same trap blindly.

“Before you call Moira, I have something else to tell you…” he began shakily.

Armando turned to him with pursed lips and a weary sigh. “Somehow I doubt you were saving the best for last.”

~~

Erik desperately wished Charles was here with him. Alex took after his mother’s people, they had too much energy, too much emotion, too much _everything_ and he’d never been comfortable around the incredibly volatile members of their species.

Humans were also highly emotional; perhaps this Armando would be a good match for the young captain.

“But he-put his _lips_ against _my cheek_ on our second night out together. If that’s not a declaration of intent then what is?!” he demanded hotly. “He’s done it more than once!” he reiterated angrily.

Erik hoped he didn’t shoot off a concussive blast out of frustration. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with engineering about a plasma mishap.

“Calm yourself, Captain,” he ordered flatly; hoping the younger mans military training would be enough to bring him back from the brink. “You and this young man need to talk this over-calmly- and come to a workable solution.”

Alex scoffed, “he’s going to hate me, especially since your ambassador is probably scaring him to death right now.”

Erik hoped his concern that Alex’s prediction was true wasn’t printed on his face. “We’ll deal with that when we come to it, in the meantime we have a change of plans. Neither human is to communicate with Earth until we’ve made our formal declaration.”

Alex frowned, “Armando won’t like that, how much longer will it be?”

“Hank says they’re ready at any time. We’ve notified the humans to give them time to prepare themselves. We go live in one day,” he said harshly. Normally he enjoyed this part of the invasion and induction process, but he couldn’t look forwards to anything with Charles on tenterhooks around him.

Alex perked up a bit at the brief timeline, “Alright, I can work with that, it gives me some time to smooth things over with Armando, but not so much time that he’ll feel trapped.”

“Good. Remember to keep him safe and as happy as possible. Maybe take him on a lunar walk if he’s open to it. Very few humans have set foot on their moon, it would probably mean a lot to him.” Erik said absently, remembering Charles’ amazement when he described visiting planets with far less gravity than Genosha.

“Great idea, Admiral,” Alex seemed reluctantly impressed. “You’re becoming quite the romantic.”

Erik thought that over briefly before nodding his agreement, “I guess that’s just the human in me.”

~~

Charles and Armando were deep in conversation about the mess they’d found themselves in.

_“What do you mean I’m his mate?!”_

“From what I understand, if you’ve touched his face, you two are bound for life,” he said flatly, watching Albert lose his mind in the multicolored obstacle course Erik had created for him.

“That makes no sense; this must be some kind of joke!” Armando snapped.

Charles huffed tired sigh, “Does the Admiral seem like the joking type to you?”

Well, the agent couldn’t argue with that one.

 _~Admiral Lehnsherr and Captain Summers to see you~_ the door chimed. Albert dove for cover while the humans shared a nervous look.

“Enter,” Charles said, proud that his voice didn’t tremble on the word.

Erik stepped in first with a blank look on his face, Captain Summers entered just behind him.

“We’re sorry to interrupt your meeting gentlemen and will be happy to let you continue after this interruption.”

“What is it?” Charles asked warily.

“We will be having Earth’s formal induction ceremony into the Federation in just over 24hours. Until that time you will not be allowed to contact Earth. I’m sorry but partial information will only lead to panic. We’ve done this many times before and would rather avoid massive instances of self harm or a last minute counter offensive,” Erik said sternly.

Charles swallowed apprehensively while Armando looked quietly mutinous.

“Agent Munoz, feel free to remain here with Ambassador Xavier or return to your quarters on Captain Summers’ ship. If you’d prefer to remain on the flagship you will be assigned quarters nearby.”

Erik tried to hide his irritation at the silent conversation the two humans struck up through minute shifts of their facial muscles. “You don’t have to decide now, as I said we simply wanted you to know our plans, and the limitations placed on you for the time being,” he continued shortly.

“Thank you, Admiral. Will that be all?” Charles asked coldly.

Erik hated to see Charles so upset, but hopefully his next news would put him in a slightly better mood. “Actually, you have a guest.” He said, giving Charles the small smile that always softened his heart. Judging by the slight shift in his stance, it worked yet again.

“Who?” he asked, voice bright with reluctant curiosity as he leaned towards Erik like a reed in the wind. He cherished the evidence that his mate wasn’t as indifferent to him as he was acting.

“If you’d like to come with me? You as well, agent. You both still have free reign of the ship.” He reminded them softly

The shared another speaking glance before turning back to their hosts. Captain Summers had been silent since they arrived, but he watched Armando’s every move like a man dying of thirst spying a glass of ice water.

Armando sighed, “Please, let’s meet our guest.”

Charles irritably wondered if Erik hadn’t kidnapped Moira at the same time he’s brought Albert up. It seemed like the kind of thing the Admiral wouldn’t deem important information.

He allowed Erik to place his hand gently against his elbow and guide him out of his quarters and down a long seemingly straight hall that he only noticed was built on a curve after several long minutes of walking.

He tried not to be fascinated by the numerous odd creatures they passed on their way, or the intermittent open panels that revealed the depths of space. He didn’t let himself ask any of the multitudes of questions that filled him as each moment passed.

He knew that slaking his curiosity would soften him more towards Erik and he couldn’t afford that just yet.

He glanced back to see Armando walking arm in arm with a gloomy faced Captain Summers who was murmuring something to the frowning agent.

They stopped suddenly in front of a panel that looked like any other. Charles wondered how he was meant to find his quarters again, but pushed that concern aside for later.

“Here we are. We’ll leave you to it. We have much to prepare,” Erik said softly, stepping back regretfully with a light brush of his fingers against Charles’ wrist, sending a shiver up his arm.

Erik was just about to turn and leave when Charles grasped him firmly by the wrist and lifted his larger hand up to examine it like he had just a few days before on their world tour.

Erik’s skin was still rough and smooth with no lines, scars, or visible bones. His fingers were still as strong and flexible as anything Charles had ever felt, but now on the tips of those sensitive digits he had paper thin fingernails. They were hard as stone, perfectly shaped, entirely smooth and only a few shades darker than his skin.

“Erik? How?” he asked, knowing his brow was wrinkled in consternation.

The Admiral pulled him away from the other couple so they could speak in semi privacy.

Erik seemed confused as well, “We change each other. With our transfer of DNA, our bodies shift to become compatible.” He said softly, eyes shifting to a pale mint green.

“Transfer of DNA?” Charles leaned into his warmth, drawn like a moth to flame. He couldn’t help the pull he felt towards the Admiral.

“Our kiss,” Erik explained, unblinking.

Charles thought back to their extended make out session before they had intercourse. That must have been the transfer that allowed Erik to begin to change to suit Charles.

“How long until you’re done changing?” he asked, wondering if it was a frightening or painful process for the other man. Knowing Erik would play any discomfort off as weakness.

“Anywhere from several hours to a few days. Depending on how much we need to change to become compatible.”

Charles felt somber at the news. Erik was truly bound to him for the rest of his life. It was a sobering realization.

He glanced over the taller man’s shoulder to see Captain Summers place a soft kiss to Armando’s right temple. He couldn’t see either man’s face, but from their body language everything wasn’t lost between them.

“Erik-” he began softly, ready for more answers when the panel they’d stopped in front of slid open without warning revealing a…Naked? Blue? Scaled? Woman? With short, red hair plastered to her head.

Charles gaped.

“I told the ship to let you in and it said you were _busy._ You can’t call me halfway across the galaxy with an _infant_ then ignore me, Erik.” she put her hands on her hips and glared at Erik through wide, glittering eyes.

He gave her his customary smile, “apologies Lady Darkholme. May I present my mate? Dr. Charles Xavier,  Ambassador of Earth and his esteemed colleague Agent Armando Munoz, Representative of the Federal Government of the United States of America.” He bowed slightly in deference to each man as he introduced them.

Her eyes widened even further at his words, “Get OUT. _You_ took a mate?” she looked Charles over with eager eyes before turning to give Armando the same treatment. “And _you’re_ with a plasma burner?! Braver man than I!” she laughed. Alex looked less than pleased at her announcement.

Armando frowned, “A what?”

“Come in, come in!” She stood aside and gestured for them to precede her into her quarters. “I can see these guys haven’t told you anything. We’ll get everything cleared up in no time,” she said with cheery, maternal warmth.

“Go see to your plans Admiral, Captain.” She pressed her fingers to the wall, sliding the panel shut in their faces before turning to face her shell shocked guests with a sympathetic smile, “You guys look like you’ve been through it.”

She received two dumb nods from the Earth men and felt for them from the bottom of her heart. She knew better than anyone how baffling Genoshian courtship was, and she also knew the cure. “Let’s get you some wine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! If you have any more questions now is the time to ask them! Explanations are forthcoming as ASAP! Thank you so much for all your support! and Thank you for the Birthday wishes! You guys are the best XOXO!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raven answers some questions! We find out a bit more about what Alex and Armando have been up to!

Moira was running on fumes. She and Sean were working with a larger international taskforce to be prepared for Earth’s induction ceremony. She was almost to busy to be concerned with the fact that she hadn’t heard from Armando in over twelve hours or Charles at all since they’d teleported away with their escorts.

She could only hope that they would be present for the ceremony or at least able to check in after it was over. She tried not to blame herself for agreeing to let them go, Sean had reminded her again and again that the other half of their team had made their own choices, but as their team leader she couldn’t help but blame herself.

“Moira, we’re wanted in Suite C,” Sean interrupted her train of thought with a worried frown. “Are you alright?”

She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, “I’m just worried about Charles and Armando, I’m worried about what tomorrow will bring.”

“Me too, hopefully we’ll hear from them soon and whatever this ceremony is won’t be…” he faded out looking pale and frightened.

She knew the feeling. “Thanks for coming to get me, let’s get a move on and try to get some sleep before we’re needed tomorrow, something tells me we’ll need to be at our best.”

~~

Mystique poured her guests generous amounts of sparkling pink wine and gestured for them to sit in her spacious and comfortable main room.

Her furniture consisted of low, padded seats that reminded Charles of firm beanbag chairs more than anything else. The walls in her rooms were set to show a slowly rotating galaxy that he observed briefly before realizing the stars were misaligned.

“This isn’t our galaxy?” he said, immediately intrigued by the sight before him.

“Actually it is, I’m from the Milky Way too. Just a different part. My planet is night more often than day, so not being able to see the stars makes me feel unsettled,” she shrugged giving off a self conscious air with her admission.

“That’s fascinating; Alex showed me several star charts and how to navigate them with or without the central computing system,” Armando studied the walls distractedly.

She looked impressed, “You must be very clever to understand all that. My people hadn’t even mastered space travel before we were inducted. I was told that yours have?” she asked curiously.

“Yes, we’ve been to our moon and have sent probes into deep space. We’ve landed on other planets in our solar system and have a fully functional constantly manned space station,” Charles said taking a sip of the bittersweet wine.

“Believe it or not, that seemed pretty impressive a few weeks ago,” Armando said dryly. He and Charles shared a commiserating look and clinked their glasses before taking a drink.

Mystique watched them with bright, curious eyes, “What was that?”

“Oh, nothing. A toast,” Armando said dismissively.

“I want to try it,” she leaned forwards eagerly and they all took turns tapping their glasses together playfully.

“Cheers,” Charles said, echoed by Armando then Raven before they took a simultaneous drink.

“Oh, I like that,” she beamed.

Charles liked her, he suspected Erik had known he would and that’s why she’d been brought aboard. It seemed that his erstwhile mate was still trying to win his favor. He hoped Mystique could answer his questions without the knowledge gaps Erik kept leaving.

“You mentioned an infant?” Armando asked curiously. “The admiral was telling Charles something about that,” he said carefully.

She perked up immediately, “Yes, Kurt. He’s the first of our kind born into the Federation,” she said proudly.

Charles and Armando shared a worried look, “He?”

“Oh yes, they always have boys. It’s still odd for me to say that,” she chuckled.

“Why is that?” Charles asked anxiously.

“My people, Shifters, are both male and female. We can shift to one form or the other at will and we do a full shift when we decide who will bear the child in our relationship.

“So you’re hermaphrodites?” Charles was excited at the prospect. “We have creatures like that on Earth!”

“We do?” Armando asked with a frown.

“Yes, of course! Earthworms, slugs, and certain butterflies just name a few!” he said cheerily.

“I’d love to see some of them!” Mystique leaned forwards eagerly.

“I’m sure we can manage that,” Charles grinned.

She poured them another refill of wine and they all sipped for a few minutes before Charles asked, “So you’re mated to…?”

“Azazel, he’s red and has a tail, in case too haven’t met him,” she said with a secretive smile. Charles couldn’t help but notice that facial expressions came far more naturally to her than to any other Federation member he’d met so far.

“We’ve met, he was there the day of the surrender,” Armando said.

“When Kurt wakes up I’ll bring him out to meet you. It’s strange to have a son instead of just having a child.” She laughed, “The Federation had high hopes that he would be a Shifter, but he’s a boy like all the rest of them. I still think there’s hope for us to bear Shifter children, but perhaps not the daughters they want. I suppose I should say _need”_ she mused.

“I imagine that would be strange,” Charles said, trying to imagine being able to change his gender at will, to shift his bodily functions down to the cellular level, it was too bizarre to comprehend.

“Az told me that humans are female heavy. Your planet must seem like the answer to their dreams,” she said sagely.

“It seems like it,” Armando said bitterly, casting a pall over their conversation.

“What do males of your kind look like?” Charles asked after an awkward pause in an effort to clear the tension in the air.

Mystique perked up at his question, “I can still do the face and body most of the body,” she rippled for a moment before looking like a taller, broader version of herself, a stronger jaw and thinner lips, flat chest, and narrower hips. She rippled again and was herself.

“I can’t hold it for as long anymore since Kurt,” she shrugged self consciously.

“Oh, is it permanent after you give birth?” Charles asked curiously.

“Not usually. But When Az changed to suit me, I changed to suit him,” she explained simply.

Charles suddenly remembered Erik’s words in the hall, “ _We change each other. With our transfer of DNA, our bodies shift to become compatible.”_

His stomach dropped. “Wait. You changed too?”

“Yes,” she grimaced. “I didn’t know it at the time. In hindsight I can see that Az _tried_ to explain it but I couldn’t really understand until it happened. I mean he didn’t know how the change would affect me so…” she gave a prosaic shrug.

“Does that mean _we’re_ going to change?” Armando demanded, looking alarmed.

She sighed, “Unfortunately, yes. At least, once you become physically intimate with your mate. That’s when the change starts. For me it was very mild, I didn’t even notice I couldn’t shift until I tried to go male and even then I figured I was just pregnant. We can’t shift to male when we’re pregnant.” She explained as an afterthought.

“That makes sense,” Charles said blankly, trying to understand all she’d told them.

Armando was still clearly baffled, “ _How_ are we going to change?”

She gave him a sympathetic look, “I don’t know. I’m sure Hank can tell you more about that. He’s quite brilliant.” She smiled and leaned in closer, “He has his eye on another Shifter. She’s here with us to ‘help me look after Kurt,’ but it’s really to visit Dr. McCoy.” She said conspiratorially.

Charles wondered what she looked like. He wondered so many things. His thoughts felt slippery like little fish. Each time he tried to grab one and focus on it, the thought slipped back into the whirlwind of his mind. He felt on the verge of a panic attack.

“How do you all speak English?” he blurted randomly. He truly had wondered about that, but right now he needed a distraction or he’d have a full meltdown.

Mystique gave him a patient look. “Aural implants. They adapt to learn new languages as we hear them. It’s strange to get used to, but great once you have it. I’m sure they can get you some if you like.”

Charles tried to breathe and focus on how nice that would be.

Maybe the wine had been a misstep.

“Were any of the changes good?” Armando cut in, looking ill.

She gave them a soft smile, “Yes, I can now shift to appear as a female of other species as well. I didn’t have that capacity before. Hank says the change we undergo basically jump starts our evolution on an individual level. So who’s to say what humans will become?” she asked with a hesitant look.

Charles felt sick. He was changing, even now. And he didn’t know how it would affect him or when it would end.

Armando was looking a bit green about the gills as well. Charles had to ask, “Have you two…?”

“No, not yet. I mean. Not fully. We’ve done…things.” He said vaguely.

“What things?” Charles asked with a slight frown. Armando still seemed concerned.

“We kissed a little and…hand stuff. Him on me, he said I didn’t need to return the favor,” he mumbled under his breath.

“You probably couldn’t yet,” Raven said knowingly. “I thought Az was the most selfless lover for the longest time. Turns out he had major changes to make before we could have full intercourse.”

Armando was looking worse with every word she said, “Do you think he’s begun to change? Do you think I have?” he leaned forward anxiously, elbows on his knees.

She gave him a once over, “I can’t say. From what you’ve said _he’s_ probably started but I’m not sure about you.”

Armando sat back in his seat and ran a hand over his hair in a nervous gesture. He took a deep breath before asking, “Why did you call him a plasma burner?”

Mystique grimaced at his question, “His people have an overabundance of energy. They can send it out of their bodies in concussive blasts. They rarely get tired or sick. They consume huge amounts of fuel for their bodies to function. Seeing them in action is quite a sight. But their tempers are _legendary._ ”

“Can he absorb plasma?” Charles blurted suddenly.

She seemed confused by the question. “Yes, from what I understand…”

Charles sucked in a deep breath and gave Armando a worried look. “Armando, based on what you’ve told us, I’d say Captain Summers is changing for sure.” His voice trembled.

 _“Why?”_ Armando demanded.

Charles shifted uncomfortable in his seat, avoiding their curious eyes as he muttered. “There’s something called seminal plasma… If he came into _contact_ with your semen…”

“ **God damn it** ,” Armando hissed, putting his head in his hands. “What are we going to do?”

“Enjoy your induction ceremony?” Mystique asked hopefully.

“Why? What’s so good about that?” Charles asked, genuinely curious.

“At our ceremony they cured a common hereditary disease that causes bone malfunctions that lead to painful shifts. It was a great day for my people,” she said warmly.

“So maybe they’ll cure cancer, or AIDS,” Charles wondered aloud. Finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.

“Have they forced anyone to be their mate? Would that happen at this ceremony?” Armando demanded.

She was already shaking her head by the time he was finished speaking “No, a few of them have come courting like Az did with me and like Hank does with Raven, but we can always say no. It’s becoming the cool thing to do though. Like how I’m here, on the other side of the galaxy and how I can shift more than any other of my kind. I think there will be lots of bonds created based on that alone.”

“It’s an incentive program,” Charles said slowly. And suddenly he understood. For instance, how amazing was it that he was on a spaceship speaking to an alien right now? And Erik had promised to share their scientific knowledge with him.

And apparently they may have been working on cures for human illnesses. There was so much to gain from joining the Federation; he could see many women happily signing up to bear children for their new overlords. It would be quite the status symbol to be a mated member of the Federation.

For the first time he took a moment to wonder if he would have become Erik’s mate if he’d had full knowledge of what it meant. He rather suspected he would have signed on the dotted line without hesitation; there were simply too many outright benefits to ignore. Except…

“Do they all want kids? Is that a part of who they are?” he asked, concerned.

“Yes. From what I understand, each Genoshian male has a t least one child _-son_.” She corrected herself with a slight grimace. “They always spread their seed.”

Charles and Armando traded confused looks, “then why choose us as mates? We’re _male_. They had a whole _planet_ of women to choose from,” Armando reiterated.

Mystique shrugged, “I don’t understand it, according to outsiders my kind are all identical, but for some reason Az sought me out from among us all. He seemed drawn to me. They believe in perfect mates,” she informed them nervously. “I know that Genoshians can’t mate with each other so… I’m not sure how male mates would work. I can only speak from my experiences.” She said, giving them a worried once over.

Charles could tell she hadn’t really considered the logistics of male mates for Genoshians.

“You don’t seem to have changed much, perhaps you all will be able to give birth the way we do. Do you have one of these?” she gestured to her abdomen.

Charles and Armando glanced at each other then back at her, nodding silently.

“Why? What does that have to do with giving birth?” Charles felt nauseous.

She gave them an odd look and gestured to the closed slit that Charles had mistaken for a belly button. “It opened and then I pulled Kurt out.”

Charles was fascinated. Armando was appalled.

 “Did it hurt?” he asked wide eyed.

“More than I can possibly say,” she laughed. “But wait. How do humans give birth?” she asked with a small frown.

 Charles sighed; he doubted she’d be as nonchalant as Erik had been to learn about human reproduction. He glanced at Armando who raised his eyebrows and took the initiative to refill their wine.

It was Mystiques’ turn to be horrified.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy St. Patrick's Day!! Thanks for reading! Thanks for your questions! More answers to come soon! XOXO!!


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More drunken talk with Mystique and Armando! Erik and Alex are different levels of ridiculous! Erik finally explains himself!

“That can’t be right!” Mystique cried to Charles and Armando’s muffled laughter.

“It’s no fun, but the alternative is worse,” Charles said lightly, taking another deep drink of wine.

“What’s the alternative?” she asked eyes wide and glistening.

“Major abdominal surgery,” Armando said with a grimace. “That’s how my younger brother was born. The recovery is no joke _._ ”

She slumped back in her seat looking distraught, “You should get the Federation Medical Corps on that. I’m sure they can at least help the women recover more quickly from their surgeries.” She said with a deep frown creasing her scales.

“That would be great!” Charles chimed in drunkenly. “The most dangerous place for a patient after surgery is often the hospital. Their immune system is compromised and they’re surrounded by very sick people. It’s worse in hospitals that still utilize the ward set up.”

No one said anything. He cracked one eye open to peer at his companions, “What?”

“You can make anything sound interesting,” Armando laughed, finally fully relaxed.

“No wonder the Admiral fell for you,” Mystique said with a fond smile before topping off her glass once more.

Charles frowned as an idea struck, “The wine won’t sour your milk will it?”

“My what?” She asked with a laugh, like the question made no sense.

Armando started laughing again and gestured for Charles to continue.

Charles sighed, remembering Erik’s many questions about lactation. He pushed the cute memory out of his mind and tried to focus on his answer, “women produce milk for their young. That’s what babies... eat.” He concluded for lack of a better term.

“But what _is milk?_ And how do the women produce it?” she asked with another confused frown.

“Dear god I wish I was recording this,” Armando watched their conversation with an air of amusement.

Charles hated him in that moment. “Maybe we should just watch an educational video on the topic. I don’t want to confuse you further.”

She narrowed her eyes threateningly, “you tell me now or I’ll let the wine make you ill in the morning.” She stated matter of fatly.

Charles groaned and closed his eyes, trying to decide if he’d rather have a savage alien hangover or explain more about human reproduction to someone who had no basis of understanding for it. “Coin flip,” he muttered under his breath.

Mystique perked right up, “Ooh! What’s that?”

Armando was rivaling Erik for Charles’ least favorite person when he chuckled and said, “I’ll take that one. And when I’m done, Charles will cover biology for you.”

Traitor.

~~

Erik wanted to go reclaim his mate. Charles and Armando had been with Raven for just over two Earth hours at this point and none of them had been called for.

Azazel wouldn’t notice at any rate since he was off spoiling his son who was too young to be very interesting to Erik. Kurt was disturbingly small and fragile and that made him uncomfortable.

He frowned at the memory of the tiny humans he'd held and the even smaller ones he'd met on their journey. They were even more fragile than Shifter young.

Alex sighed heavily and slumped in his seat. Erik was at least pretending to read over the speech he’d be making at Earth’s induction ceremony. He knew his words would be dissected and replayed in every nation and language on Earth for years to come. But that didn’t concern him.

The real stars of the show would be the Medical, Science and Engineering Corps, though Weapons Technology had something very promising planned for Earth as well. Erik irritably wondered if another of his men had a paramour on Earth he was desperately trying to impress.

“What do you think they’re talking about?” Alex asked with a worried frown.

Erik played it cool, “I’m sure they’re discussing what it’s like to join the Federation and be mated to one of us.”

His frown only deepened “Won’t that be weird for them? I mean Shifters are _already_ female.”

Erik jolted as Alex’s words sank in, he might have miscalculated terribly. He set his tablet aside and stood as quickly as he could while still maintaining a sense of dignity. “Let’s go get them, it’s been long enough.”

Alex was suspicious of the Admirals sudden change of heart, but it was getting him what he wanted so he didn’t question it. A few minutes later found them standing in front of Mystique’s quarters waiting for the door to announce them.

After what seemed like a very long time-the Admiral’s lips were flatter than Alex could remember seeing them since the time he’d gotten his brother to knock an asteroid out of orbit on a dare. The door swung open to reveal a visibly tipsy Mystique who’s lips and cheeks were periwinkle blue-Alex didn’t know what that meant to her kind but he hoped it wasn’t fatal.

Erik frowned, “Are you alright?”

“No! Your mate has been filling my head with foul, unnatural things!” she shuddered.

“It’s all perfectly natural!” Charles insisted from the depths of his seat where he’d slumped so far down he was barely visible. “Wait. Is that Erik?” he sounded petulant.

“Yep,” Armando said dryly, taking them in through half open eyes. “The mates are back.”

“How much did you all drink?” Erik demanded shortly. He preferred to keep Drunk Charles to himself.

“Only one bottle,” Mystique held up a handful of fingers and wiggled them emphatically. Erik had no idea how to read Shifter sign language so he moved on.

“If you’re done for now I’d like to spend some time with my mate,” he said a cordially as possible.

“Sure. I need to find Az and Kurt anyway,” she stumbled backwards as she spoke.

Erik stifled his irritation, “I’ll send them to you.” He had no desire to have a drunk Shifter running loose on his ship.

She gave him a bright smile, “That’s so sweet!”

“What are you two on about?” Charles grumbled curiously from his slouch. Erik realized they’d switched to Mystique’s mother tongue at some point.

He looked past her to see Alex tenderly helping his mate to his feet and looping one arm around his waist to support most of his weight. Armando slung one arm over Alex’s shoulder and leaned against him heavily.

That was a good sign, he was happy for the Captain.

He stepped in as well and knelt at Charles’ side, remembering the night of the borealis and their adventure in the snow. “Are you ready to return to our quarters?” he asked softly.

“ _Our_ quarters? I thought they were _mine?_ ” he asked in a drunken whine.

Erik stiffened, “I reset my quarters so we could create an environment you’d like.”

Charles groaned and covered his face at his words, “Why do you have to be so sweet?”

Erik wasn’t sure if that was a serious complaint and when he glanced at Alex he looked just as confused to hear it. “Let me help you up,” he said instead of answering. He gently tugged Charles into a sitting position and lightly brushed his fringe back from his forehead until he pushed his hands away. Erik sat back on his heels, trying not to look as dejected as he felt by the rejection.

He hoped he hadn’t ruined both their lives by falling for Charles.

“Tell me something?” Charles asked softly, eyes bright. “I just don’t understand what drew you to me when you need a woman to bear you a child. You had all of earth to choose from. Why me?” he asked softly.

Erik looked pained. “What do you remember me saying?”

Charles wracked his brain, still hazy from the wine, “That you all mate with the women on your colonies to have mothers for your children,” he said slowly.

This was exactly the misunderstanding he’d been hoping Mystique would clear up. “No, I said we choose _mates_ from out colonies to procreate with. They are the mothers of our children,” he stressed.

For a long moment Charles thought they had just restated the same sentiment, and then Erik’s words filtered through.

“Wait. What. Are you saying?” nothing made sense.

“Mother isn’t a gendered term on Genosha, Charles. It simply means the one who brings you forth. Male or female. We can impregnate our mates no matter where they are from or what their gender is.” He said softly.

“Oh,” Charles said softly. “Of course.” It made a terrible, sick sort of sense.

“What of course?! What the hell did you do to him?!” Armando slurred, trying to shove away from Alex but unable to match his strength.

“Hey, calm down. It’s going to be fine,” Alex said, sick with worry. “Their bond is between them,” he hurriedly drag/pulled Armando from the room, leaving them with a concerned Mystique.

Erik hadn’t looked away from Charles since he’d begun speaking but now he glanced up at the Shifter watching them with wide eyes. By the time he turned his attention back to his mate, he’d slumped over fully and was snoring softly.

Erik sighed and gently lifted Charles into his arms, finally relaxing for the first time since he’d left him a few hours prior. Nothing felt as right as having his mate in his arms, nothing ever would.

“Thank you for coming, Mystique. We’ll take our leave,” he said firmly. She averted her gaze and gave a small nod.

He let himself out and made his way back to their quarters. Now there were no more secrets between them. Hopefully they could come to an understanding for their future.

He made a mental note to give Charles a wine chaser before putting him to bed. Tomorrow was a big day for Earth and he needed his ambassador at his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Covers eyes* What do you think? Are you excited for the induction ceremony? Thank you so much for reading and for all your comments and kudos! I love you all!


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles has some choice words for Erik! Erik is stressed out! A surprise guest appears!

Charles woke to a soft chiming echoing through the empty bedroom. The events of the night before came rushing back to him as soon as he opened his eyes.

He groaned and sat up gingerly running his fingers through his hair to smooth his no doubt wild bed head. He felt…fine. Better than fine, he felt great. Physically speaking. Emotionally speaking he felt like hell but that was to be expected.

He paled at the word. Was he expecting even now? The thought made him want to get smashed again. He fell back onto the bed with groan.

The chiming stopped, he supposed the tablet had registered that he was awake. He turned his head look at the closed door. He just _knew_ Erik was lurking on the other side.

The thought made his stomach churn. Just a few days before he’d felt like he was dying from lack of exposure to the Admiral and now he had no desire to see him. Not now and maybe not ever again.

He felt a slight pull on the skin of his neck as he moved around. He rose from the bed to stand in front of the massive nearly wall sized mirror Erik had installed in his? their? bedroom.

There was a slightly shiny 2x4 inch rectangle of…something on the side of his neck. When he raised a hesitant hand to touch it was tacky. Like the adhesive on a band aid. He frowned. Had he been injured? What happened after he fell asleep?

Also, why didn’t he feel ill? Mystique had warned him about the wine making him sick but he felt like a million bucks. He didn’t even need a coffee. Something was up and as much as he wanted to spend the rest of forever avoiding Erik he needed some serious answers.

The tablet chimed again, he picked it up with an irritated huff, closing his eyes in exasperation when he saw the reminder of Earth’s induction ceremony.

Of course.

It was starting in just a few hours and he was to be a guest of honor. Possibly _The_ Guest of Honor. The alert didn’t say.

He squared his shoulders and looked his reflection in the eye. It was past time for him to do his job as Ambassador of Earth. He had taken the job so he could advocate for Earth’s people and customs but he hadn’t done anything of the sort. He was ashamed to remember how he had constantly put the Admiral and his needs ahead of the needs of humanity. He could only hope that Moira and Sean could forgive him for ignoring their warnings. All he could do was try to make it up to them as best he could.

~~

Erik was reclining on an elevated sleeping mat that he’d conjured after tucking Charles into bed. He’d have been happy to hold him all night even though Erik would have been awake for most of it. But he knew Charles was upset with him and he didn’t want to inadvertently cross any more boundaries with him if at all possible.

If he hadn’t already ruined things-and he was pretty sure he had- he didn’t want to risk making it worse.

He was reliving every moment of his time with Charles, trying to figure out where he went wrong. It was so complicated. Dealing with a species that hadn’t been inducted into the Federation always was.

He really should have waited a few generations before seeking  a mate from Earth, but humans lived such short lives and he’d felt a connection to the young doctor as soon as he began to speak at the surrender. Even the memory of his passion and verve lured Erik like a warm flame.

The door to the bedroom slid open and Charles stepped into the room wearing a look that Erik would recognize on any species after his years in the military. His ambassador was ready to do battle.

~~

Charles walked into the room every inch a gentleman. His breeding and training had never been more useful than now. He cast an aura of confidence around himself and took in the Admiral, lying reclined on some sort of chaise. Erik looked like he wanted to sit up but Albert was sleeping on his chest and he clearly didn’t know how to move him.

Charles decided to take advantage of the situation while Erik couldn’t distract him with warm hands and gentle touches, “Admiral, we need to talk,” he began firmly.

“Yes, we do,” Erik agreed flatly.

Charles grit his teeth and tried to stay level headed, “ _I’m angry with you_. You _lied_ to me and took _advantage_ of me.” He held up one hand to stop Erik’s protests before they could begin. “I understand that we both made mistakes and assumptions about each other and that we both contributed to the situation we find ourselves in. That said **I’m still angry with you for lying to me!**

It will take some time for me to…come to terms with all that’s happened in the weeks since you all arrived. And unfortunately we don’t have time for that. We have the induction ceremony in just _hours_ and _apparently_ I’m a guest of honor.” He was pacing now and making broad gestures, not caring that his body language threw Erik off. He needed to get this off his mind or he was like to explode in frustration.

He stopped to glance at Erik who was now sitting with Albert cradled in his lap. They were watching Charles with twin, unnerving, unblinking stares. He pursed his lips in irritation and glanced away from the charming sight. “Admiral. I have questions and I demand answers.”

“You’ll have your answers, Charles. There are no more secrets now. As my bonded mate you are a Genoshian Citizen and full member of the Federation. You have access to all of our files, records, and information. You may use them as you see fit according to the laws of the Intergalactic Federation,” he said earnestly.

Charles paused and took a moment to let that sink in, “Is that why you were so evasive about…everything? I wasn’t your mate so you didn’t trust me?” he asked, surprised to find he was hurt by the revelation.

Erik tilted his head to one side, his eyes shifted to a crisp evergreen, “There are laws in place for the protection of all Genoshians. We do not share certain aspects of our culture with any non Genoshians. I’m sorry that I had to keep so much from you. I hope you will come to understand in time.”

Charles pursed his lips and turned to look out the window for a while, “You said there is no way to break the bond?” he reiterated softly. He wasn’t so desperate to break the bond now that he’d remembered his duty to mankind. Having the ear of one of their highest ranked overlords could only help to ensure Earth’s safety.

“No. There isn’t. I’m sorry. It’s our highest law and one of the few things we consider sacred. The bond we share with our mates is the stuff of legend,” Erik tried to be as open as possible though it went against his fundamental nature.

He remembered his mother and her insight words of wisdom concerning bonds. He tried to channel some of that into what he was saying to the rigid line of Charles’ shoulders. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I apologize for all I had to keep from you. I can only guarantee that I won’t do it again and that I will spend my life doing my best to make you happy and keep you safe. You are my bonded mate, Charles. For me there will never be another. In all the galaxies and across the stars you are the only one to have caught my eye. Perhaps that seems like a bad thing to you. Though I hope that given time I to be able to change your mind about that. You ask ‘why you?’ I answer ‘who else?’”

Charles was silent for so long that Erik became concerned. He didn’t turn and face him but when he did speak his voice was reedy and cracked. “I always did say you have a way with words.”

Erik looked up from focusing on Albert who was intently tonguing the pads of his fingers. He hadn’t wanted to interrupt Charles’ thought process. This might be the most important conversation of their lives and he feared messing it up.

His father had only ever once given him bonding advice and even then it had been a weary, self loathing word. “Begin as you mean to go on. If a bond starts bad it’s hard to make it good.”

He so _desperately_ wanted their bond to be good. He would do anything not to live the misery his parents shared.

“Admiral,” Charles turned to face him cheeks flushed and eyes wet with tears. “I-” he gave a humorless chuckle. “I wish I could hate you and leave and be done with this, but this is all far more complicated than just the two of us.” _Also, in spite of everything, you don’t hate him. _His internal monologue reminded him.

He pushed the voice aside and soldiered on, “I’m perfectly willing and able to work with you as your ambassador. I have a duty to my people and my planet that I take very seriously.” _Evidence to the contrary_ his inner self snarked. He pushed it aside once more.

“That said, I enjoyed our time together on Earth and I have no desire to live in an unhappy marria-bond.” He grimaced, thinking back to Kurt and how awful a husband he had been to his once vivacious mother.

“Once this is all settled and my people are satisfied we can revisit the...more personal nature of our relationship. Until that time I’d willing to consider us partners.” He said firmly. He hoped he’d explained himself clearly.

Erik’s lovely words were still ringing in his ears, warming him down to his bones but he couldn’t give in so easily again. Look where trust and pretty words had gotten him.

Erik stood, letting Albert drop to the floor and make his way over to Charles. Erik followed at a more sedate pace until he was standing just in front of Charles, looking down at him with those inscrutable eyes.

Albert wound his way around their ankles like a maze until Charles stooped to pick him up and hold him close as a buffer against Erik’s unwavering attention.

“I admire your dedication to your people and your home. I accept your offer with the clause that we will need to be in regular, close, physical contact until our bond stabilizes and we complete changing to suit one another. We don’t need to have intercourse,” he said quickly-correctly interpreting Charles’ incensed reaction to his words.

The smaller looked taken aback and deflated some. “Oh, well if it’s just touching then fine. We can do that as needed,” he conceded stiffly. The only way this partnership could work was through honesty and compromise and unfortunately that had to go both ways.

Albert mewled loudly just as Charles’ stomach rumbled embarrassingly loud in the quiet of the room.

Erik gave him a tiny smile and tilted his head, “My Earthlings need sustenance. Then we should prepare for our day. As you are Earth’s Ambassador I would like to show you the flagship and give you preview of what we have to offer your planet as a welcome to the Federation.”

Charles blushed in embarrassment and couldn’t hide his interest in seeing the rest of the ship and what the induction ceremony would contain. “That sounds like a good start.”

The Admiral gently grasped him by the chin and tilted his head to one side to peer at the side of his neck where the shiny patch had been. Charles reached for itself consciously and felt nothing. He frowned even as Erik took on a pleased look.

Charles pulled away, “I meant to ask about that. Was I hurt last night? What was that on my neck?”

Erik tried not to show his displeasure at his mate rejecting his touch once more. “A wine chaser, it’s like your clear adhesive tape but far thinner. Once it vanishes it’s been fully absorbed by your blood.

Charles’ mouth dropped open in shock. “Is that why I don’t feel sick at all?”

Erik was confused “Yes, with the way you were drinking I though Mystique would have mentioned it to you.”

“I think she tried to,” he said absently, mind whirring with possibilities. “I hope those are a part of your gifts to Earth.”

“They weren’t, but they will be now.” Erik said immediately.

Charles blinked up at him in surprise and suddenly he remembered Erik’s words to him all those weeks ago in the back of the SUV just before they left on their world tour _‘You’ll always have your way’_

He wondered how far Erik would go to keep his word.

~~

Erik was reviewing his report logs from each of his ships in turn while he waited for Hank to be done with his tour of the ships main science lab.

He’d been right to be concerned about how well the two of them would hit it off. Their animated chatter carried over in soft murmurs that Erik couldn’t understand from his place by the door. He could have joined them on their tour, but he wanted to give Charles some space.

This was the last stop on their tour of his ship and while Charles had clearly enjoyed himself and asked many of his customary questions, he’d been withdrawn and far quieter than usual. Erik hated to see him unhappy and he was glad to finally see the animated man who’d caught his attention come back full bloom once they stepped inside the lab.

His tablet chimed. They needed to head down to Earth soon; he’d been informed that the humans had set up quite a spectacle. The main event would occur in the capital of the United States. There had been some sort of issue over choosing between Washington DC and London since his ambassador had dual citizenship.

Apparently they wanted to pander to the human that had his ear. He liked that. Charles had been less than pleased but Erik was sure he would get used to it. Charles was born to rule at his side.

 _~Admiral Shaw requesting top docking priority~_ the ship’s AI said smoothly _._ Erik was pulled out of his thoughts and slammed back into reality. He pulled up the alert on his screen. No, he hadn’t heard wrong.

What the hell was Shaw doing here? Today of all days? He was the last person Erik wanted to deal with. “Permission denied. Permission granted for General Docking Procedure.” He said as calmly as possible.

He could only hope that Shaw would be so offended by the slight that he would turn around and head back to his post.

 _~Accepted~_ the ship relayed.

Erik frowned; it had been a long shot anyway.

He put the bridge on notice that they had guests and called Hank and Charles to his side. It was nearly time for them to go and he wanted a few minutes with his mate before the ceremony began.

~~

By the time they made their way to the bridge, Erik had pushed the question of Shaw and his intentions out of his mind. He had more important things to think of than that petulant fool.

Azazel was manning the helm during this time of transition. Various human factions had come together and decided that today was their chance to save Earth from being inducted into the Federation.

Their plans were not seen as a major concern, but Erik was unwilling to risk the safety of the Ambassador of any of their new subjects. The fleet was on high alert and would remain so until he gave the all clear.

“Report.”

“All clear, Admiral. You’re set to go for the ceremony, the officers-excepting McCoy-” he nodded to the blue furred genius standing at Erik’s side-“have all headed down with their presentations. The humans are running a few minutes behind schedule, but nothing too concerning.”

“Excellent. Has Admiral Shaw come aboard?” he asked, trying to keep the irritation out of his tone.

“Yes, his ship checked in and docked a few moments ago,” Azazel said with a smirk that told Erik he’d failed. “Any idea why your brother would turn up with no warning?”

Charles sucked in a sharp breath, eyes wide. Erik suddenly regretted setting the spoken language on the Flagship to English until Charles received his aural implants.

He grasped the smaller man’s arm and pulled him off the bridge into a small conference room so they could have some privacy. The humans were already running late, they could wait a few minutes more for him to clear this mess up. “Charles-”

He pulled away from Erik’s’ light grip with a glare. “You _said_ you were an only child. You _said_ your mother could only safely bear _one_ , you _said_ Genoshians take one mate in their lives. How can all those things be true?” he demanded hotly. “No more lies, Erik. You _swore._ ”

Erik tried to hide his pleasure in Charles using his given name freely. He hadn’t since their earlier negotiations. Unfortunately, under the current circumstances he couldn’t be sure that it was a good sign and now was certainly not the time to ask. “It’s complicated,” he began.

“Then simplify it for me,” Charles snapped.

 _~Admiral Shaw to see you~_ the ship’s AI said softly.

Erik wondered if the throbbing in his head was what Charles called a 'headache'. If so, his had just arrived on deck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! The response to this story amazes me! I'm thrilled that you're all so invested in it! You really inspire me to write and you help so much with your comments and questions about the fic, you have no idea! Thank you and keep them coming! XOXO!!


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The history of Erik and Shaw! Build up to the Induction Ceremony!

In a strange way, Moira was relieved. The day had finally arrived and no one was worse for the wear. She pushed all concerns about the induction ceremony and what it held aside. The most important item on her docket was seeing Charles and Armando alive and well.

If they weren’t at the ceremony of if they were in any way harmed…well she’d have to figure something out.

“Settle down, Sean.” She said to the frowning young man. “After today we’ll finally know where we stand once and for all. We can worry after we know their plans for our future.”

“I don’t like this. Why haven’t we heard from them in so long? We have no idea what this ceremony is even about,” he insisted hotly. Fidgeting with his tie.

Moira sighed, “I know. But we have to take things one at a time. We need to stay on high alert, you know Stryker hasn’t given up on freeing Earth from the Federation, I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries something today." Sean nodded his agreement. "If we get the chance and something goes down, stick to the plan.”

“Assist in evacuating all civilians and non military personnel,” he parroted dryly.

She grasped his arm in a firm grip, catching his eye in a hard stare. “ _All_ civilians and non military personnel. Understood?”

Sean swallowed nervously, “You can’t mean…”

“Look, Stryker is a fruit loop and I’m _not_ on his side but Charles and Armando are citizens of the United States and of Earth. I will _not_ leave them to be harmed in any way shape of form. We took an oath, Sean. We will uphold it with our lives.”

He nodded grimly, lips a pale line.

“I’m not saying it will come to that. But if it does I need you on my side and I need you to be prepared,” she said firmly.

She reached into her desk and handed him his assigned side arm and holster. He shucked his suit coat and donned the holster. When he pulled his jacket back on, his weapon was entirely concealed.

“Where did you even get these, and why are we carrying? They’re useless as long as the energy field is up,” he reminded her with a frown as he watched her check her weapon and slip it into a thigh holster. He averted his gaze from her shapely legs. Now was not the time to let those thoughts get out of hand.

“I have clearance to access our weapons at any time and I’d rather have it and not need it…” she let the words fade out as the PA system called them all to their assigned posts for the ceremony.

“It’s like an inauguration times 10,” Sean had said of the security measures and surveillance in place around the capital. He was sure other nations had taken the same precautions. but that didn't make any of this less surreal.

“Let’s head out.”

“After you.”

~~

Armando was eager to head down to Earth and let the world governments know all he’d learned about the Federation in his few days away. He supposed it was easier for him to compartmentalize as a trained federal agent than it was for poor Charles.

Alex was watching him with a worried pinch to his features. He’d been playing it very cool with the other man since finding out that they were mates. When he woke from their night of binge drinking alien wine, Alex had proceeded to attempt to coddle and pamper him into a better mood, he was clearly trying to bring back their earlier closeness, but Armando wasn’t falling for it.

He didn’t have time to dwell on the mistakes he’d made or the fact that he was apparently mated to a ‘plasma burner.’ If there was any way this information could be useful for the protection of Earth then he would use it.

He wasn’t happy with Alex, but he knew enough to play the game. He adjusted his tie once more and turned to face Alex who was dressed as he had been the day of the surrender. He looked dashing in his neatly pressed dress uniform and the warm look in his eyes when he gazed at Armando was enough to heat his blood.

He pushed those thoughts aside and reminded himself of all that was at stake. He could only hope that Charles was doing the same and that Earth had some sort of plan of action. He feared that once Earth was inducted, there was no way out of the Federation alive.

Alex gave him a sharp smile, “Are you ready?”

Armando returned the smile, hoping the other man couldn’t read the tension in his body language, “Yes. Let’s head down. I would like to check in with my team before the ceremony begins if that’s alright.”

Alex eyed him for a long moment that had him holding his breath. “Alright. That will be fine as long as I’m your escort.”

He cursed violently in his mind, no matter. He’d just have to figure out a way to get a message to Moira. She could handle the rest. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you,” he said with eerie sincerity. “Come on, we don’t want to be late.”

 _~No, we don’t~_ Armando thought grimly.

~~

“Have him wait on the bridge,” Erik told the ship, referring to Admiral Shaw who was waiting just outside the door.

Charles was glaring at him. He’d never seen a human go so long without blinking. He wasn't a foolish enough to think that was a good sign.

“I didn’t lie to you. My mother’s people are Derrian. They hail from a water logged planet with less visible land than Earth. They can control the elements of their world the same way I can control magnetism.

Each mating couple only _ever_ has one child. Having more than one is a death sentence for the mother. Female in their case. She gives roughly half her life force to the child she gestates.” He paused here for emphasis, so Charles would understand fully what he meant.

Charles was stunned by this information. He turned and sank into a seat at the conference table without saying a word.

Erik pressed on. “Of course other species can have multiple children. Much like humans and your ‘siblings.’ Such as the Summers brothers.”

Charles nodded his understanding, but stayed quiet. This was the most he’d ever heard about Erik’s family but he had the feeling a dark secret awaited.

“Among the Federation, a slang term for having a mother from the same species is ‘brother.’ I never lied to you, Charles. Not about my parents.” He held perfectly still, not breathing, unblinking, _willing_ Charles to believe him.

Charles sighed; he could almost _feel_ Erik’s sincerity pressing against him like an embrace. Against all reason he trusted him. “I believe you, Erik. I don’t know why- maybe it’s our bond playing me for a fool but I trust you. At least in this,” he equivocated.

Erik felt a wave of relief shudder through him. He could have left it there but…

Charles cocked his head to one side and caught his eye, “There’s something else. What is it?”

“Shaw is an aberration.” He said bluntly.

Charles flinched at the word but Erik hurried to add, “I don’t say that to be cruel. By all accounts his parents had a good bond. His mother was a willing partner to his father.”

Charles nodded a feeling of dread building in his gut the longer Erik spoke. “His father was a preeminent scientist in the Federation. The top of his field, which was gene therapy through internal manipulation.”

Charles frowned and nodded his understanding.

“He… thought himself a god. He thought he could…mimic the way our bond changes our mates to suit us. But even with all our knowledge, certain parts of the process are still not understood.”  He faded out, lips a thin line, eyebrows raised higher than Charles had ever seen them.

He felt something akin to panic set his hands trembling, “Erik. What happened?” he asked in a hushed tone.

“He broke the natural law. Shaw is _a second born child_. His mother died of course. He had to be cut from her body.” Erik said with the air of a man speaking of a great tragedy.

Perhaps mothers rarely died in childbirth in the Federation, and that’s why Erik was so upset. “I’m sorry to hear that…” he began shakily but Erik walked to his side and pressed his fingertips to his lips in a gentle hush.

“His father was locked away for his crimes. Both sons were placed into federal care.” He sighed, “my mother always told me that it was terrible luck to have a second child.”

Charles could see why if it spelled certain death for the mother.

“Not just for that,” Erik said eyes darkening to a deep steel gray. “There is something _wrong_ with the child. Like a piece of his soul is missing. My parents had the option of taking him and his elder brother in. We see it as very important to keep the mother’s heritage alive through teaching,” he added as an afterthought. “My mother refused. Shaw and his brother were adopted by another Genoshian family that had room to spare.”

Charles felt a chill creep down his spine and was almost afraid to ask what happened next.

Erik locked eyes with him and griped him firmly by the shoulder. “Other Derrians can sense that something of off about his energy. The energy of any second child I’m told, but he’s the only one I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting.

 _I_ can feel it, my mother feels ill around him. Other species- including pure Genoshians-don’t seem to notice a difference. My father changed enough to be able to… _see it_ somehow and agreed to keep us apart as children.”

He hesitated for a pulse, “I don’t trust him, Charles. I don’t like him and I’m asking you not to be alone with him.”

“The rest of the military sees us as having a healthy rivalry, but there is nothing _healthy_ about his jealousy and obsession with me. I fear to think what he would do to you.”

Charles felt Erik’s words echo through his bones. “Alright. I can do that.” He agreed shakily. He wondered if he would feel odd around Shaw.

On one hand he hoped not. He pitied the man who had been rejected by his mothers’ people and abandoned by his parents through imprisonment and death.

On the other hand, he felt sick just thinking about the man and never wanted to be in the same room with him, much less alone. He knew enough about himself to realize that the feeling-the entire thought process didn’t line up with his personal views. He looked up at Erik, but didn’t know how to ask about it.

The taller man looked so relieved that Charles couldn’t help giving him a small smile and covering the hand he’d laid on his shoulder with his own. They could talk more later. He felt immeasurably relieved that Erik was keeping his word about transparency in their relationship.

Both their tablets chimed, it was past time for them to head down for the ceremony. “Shall we?” Charles asked, hoping his voice wasn’t shaking with bravado.

Erik nodded and offered his arm. Charles stepped to his side and took it, realizing as he did that this would be the image of him all Earthlings held from now on. Seemingly firmly on the side of the invaders.

He wondered if his intentions mattered at all. He frowned to himself. It seemed his place was at Erik’s side for better or for worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short Chapter but a lot of info! Wish me luck, I want to put out another chapter this week!! Fingers crossed! I love your comments! XOXOX!


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Words with Shaw! What's happening on Earth?! the Induction Ceremony!

Sean was on edge. Moira was her usual unflappable self but he could see cracks forming in even her iron façade. She was desperately worried about Armando and Charles and he couldn’t blame her. They hadn’t heard from either man in nearly 36 hours.

If that weren’t bad enough, he’d been keeping tabs on the news since the invaders arrived. Everyone was terrified. People were living in a panic state that couldn't go on much longer.

They and other governments had kept a tight lid on the fact that the Admiral was roaming the Earth as he pleased. They hadn’t informed the public about the ‘sample requests’ the Federation made every few days.

They tried to put a positive spin on things-that Earth had an ambassador that Earth was in friendly talks with the invaders, that a peace deal had been reached.

The news that Earth had surrendered had obviously been a hard pill for most to swallow. The realization that they were encompassed by an energy field that prevented any form of planetary self defense-and face it, that’s what it did-went down even worse. The whole world was a powder keg and he was worried that the ceremony would be the spark that set it off.

Sean was no fool. Stryker had been a loose cannon for years. He was the definition of a war hawk. He saw everyone as his enemy and he saw himself as the representative of the United States on the world stage. It would go entirely against his character to chance his tune now that they were dealing with a universal force.

Moira had joked that if he’d been elected president he could have found a reason to invade anywhere. Sean didn’t think it was much of a joke.

The worst part was that there were billions of people around the world who agreed with him. The entire world was on security lockdown. There was a tension in the air and the massive crowd gathered on the National Mall was very subdued. A sense of foreboding hung over everything, like the whole world was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

There were protestors-thousands of them- but they weren’t allowed in the parade route or on the grounds of the Mall.

Sean was a dedicated advocate of free speech but he could understand the caution the president was taking with not angering their cosmic overlords.

The protestors were getting plenty of play on the news, so at least they were still allowed the right to offend. He wished he could be on protest patrol, from what he was hearing over the CB they were a rowdy lot, keeping the agents and cops on their toes as they tried to break ranks and rush the Mall.

He could have used a bit of liveliness to take the creeping tension out of this scene. He checked the time, it was nearly time for the ceremony to start-actually it was past time but for some reason they were running late.

He’d hoped to see the other members of their team alive and well before the long day started. He could tell from Moira’s pursed lips that she was thinking the same.

~~

_~Today ladies and gentlemen, liberty dies~_

_~We should have fought! We should have died for our freedom! What kind of life is this? Living as slaves to ‘benevolent’ masters?!~_

_~I always said this day would come!! I’ve told you time and again that our elected officials are in cahoots with the aliens and now you see!! You see that I was right, that they stand hand in hand with these **monsters!!** With these **beasts from Mars!** They’ve been planning this for decades! **For centuries!!** We are nothing to them but the scum beneath their feet!!~_

_~I’m happy they’re here. My son is alive because of their anti violence ray! They were going to kill him, they said he was gay and deserved it! I’ve never been so terrified! They broke down the door and had rope and axes-one of them had barbed wire! I yelled for them to stop and then they did. They fell down where they stood and my boy is alive!_

_So you think it was divine intervention?_

_Yes, these creatures are from heaven. They are benevolent and kind. I believe they are angels sent from above to help us~_

**~WE NEED TO NUKE THEM OUT OF ORBIT! IT’S OUR ONLY CHANCE TO WIN THIS! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUR RESPONSE FROM THE MOMENT THEY ARRIVED!!~**

_~They’ve sold us out! The elites care nothing for the regular people! Do you think the royal family is worried about their kids being conscripted? Raped? **Eaten?** NO! They’re in on the gig! They’ve set themselves up to be the rulers of hell! Like the revolutions of old we must oust the ones who betrayed us!  The streets will run with their blood then we, the people! The true citizens of Earth will rise up and declare our freedom!!~_

_~I’m not going to the ceremony but I’m definitely watching. Nothing has changed since they arrived-well, no bad changes anyway. So I’d rather just wait and see what they say. What they look like. What they have to offer, you know?_

_No bad changes?_

_They turned in all the bad guys and took away their weapons. There are no wars, there are no murders. I’d say those are good changes. Besides, when they cut they power they could have let all those planes crash and all the sick people die, right?_

_That’s true._

_They must want us around for something and I want to know what.~_

_~This is a test sent by **GOD!** These creatures are unnatural! They are in league with the devil and if we sign on the line we sign on with the spirit of Anti-Christ! We forfeit our place in heaven to bask in the glory of **GOD** for all eternity! We cannot allow this to happen brothers and sisters! This is our call to action and we must all heed it! I will see you proud, god fearing patriots on the National Mall tomorrow to protest! To riot! To do whatever it takes to prevent this travesty from happening.~_

_~~_

He switched off the radio. He’d heard enough. Most people were on his side, the fools that weren’t, that were hoping for a peaceful resolution to all this would fall in line or die alongside the traitors that had sold them out and surrendered like cowards.

This was it. Humanity’s last stand. He would rather die on his feet than live on his knees. Subservience to some intergalactic freaks was not an option. The government big wigs were happy to hand over the keys of power just to save a few lives and prevent a bit of bloodshed.

Squeamish pansies.

He’d overthrow these invaders through _human_ ingenuity and prove to the world that they were better off with a _real_ leader.

With him as their leader they would never be conquered again. He’d see to that. He would show mankind and all the universe that Earth was ready for another level of warfare the likes of which they’d never seen.

~~

“Lehnsherr”

“Shaw. What are you doing here?”

“You wound me, Lehnsherr. Am I not welcome to your induction ceremony?” He tilted his head and widened his colorless eyes.

“I’ve had several and you’ve never felt the need to turn up,” Erik all but growled.

“Ah but you’ve never set up a personal protectorate before. There must be something special about this little blue dot,” he said fondly.

Erik said nothing.

“And I wanted to meet your mate. Congratulations. I learned a new language just for you young man,” he turned gleaming opalescent eyes to Charles sending a cold shudder through his very veins.

This man felt…off. Like he was emanating a miasma of dread and doom. Charles felt off kilter but retained enough of himself to offer a polite smile and tip his head in a nod. “Thank you, Admiral.”

Shaw turned his attention back to Erik like looking away from him for even such a brief period of time was difficult. “I’m relieved that I made it on time. Just minutes to spare until the ceremony begins. Shall we head down? I’m eager to see our new colony, especially if the inhabitants are so very appealing. He flicked his eyes over Charles and gave Armando a lengthy once over that had Captain Summers bristling.

Erik grit his teeth, “Yes.” he turned to the deck officer. “Notify Earth of our arrival. Places everyone.”

He helped Charles onto the teleportation pad and showed him how to stand. Charles was grateful for the attention; it kept Shaw from trying to catch his eye.

He stepped past Charles just as Erik stepped a bit away to stand at his side, one hand placed on his shoulder. Shaw let the back of his hand brush against Charles’ knuckles. The touch ran through him like a jolt and he was subsumed with lust, desire, raw envy, and hatred. Only the last was directed at himself.

He sucked in a quick breath, trembling and trying to find his equilibrium. Erik sent him a worried look and then they were standing in a massive marble hallway at the Lincoln Memorial. Charles wondered at the irony of their Induction Ceremony being held here of all places.

“Are you alright?” Erik leaned into him, tilting his chin up gently with a concerned look.

“I-I’m fine. I just feel…strange.” Now wasn’t the time to try and figure out what was going on with him.

“It’s a big day. Stay close to me. We’ll head back to the ship as soon as I can manage,” Erik said for his ears only.

Charles had expected to feel nothing but relief to be back on Earth, but he could only feel a massive headache building behind his eyes and a huge surge of mixed emotions that made him feel nauseous in the extreme.

Frankly heading back to the ship sounded like heaven.

“Agent Munoz! Dr. Xavier!”

Then Moira was there, pulling him close in an entirely out of character embrace. She pulled back and did the same with Armando. Alex and Erik looked less than pleased but said nothing.

Charles turned to Sean and shook his hand feeling a jolt of _happiness/fear/relief/anxiety_ as soon as they touched. He jumped in place, eyes wide.

Sean frowned, “Are you alright?” _~Is he about to pass out? He looks terrible~_

Charles stepped back swallowing his gorge. He felt like a tidal wave of emotion was rushing towards him from a distance. A dull roar set up a steady buzz behind his eyes.

“Charles.”

He looked up to see Erik standing in front of him, a worried look on his face. “Erik.” he said softly, willing himself not to collapse. “I can’t…”

Then Erik placed a warm hand gently on the side of his neck and he was soothed. He fell into a peaceful quiet, a low hum of tenderness and warmth that flooded his entire being like a warm embrace.

“Are you alright?”

He sucked in a deep breath, this wasn’t about him. This was about Earth and he wouldn’t ruin this important event by falling ill. He was sure Erik would call it off last minute if he was worried about Charles.  "I’m fine, just nervous. I’ll feel better once we’ve started.” He tried for a reassuring smile.

He could see that Erik didn’t believe him, but thankfully he accepted his word and simply offered his arm so they could step out on stage together. They stepped into the weak sunlight and were swallowed by the roar of the massive crowd eagerly awaiting their arrival.

It was surreal, and if not for the reassuring strength of Erik at his side, he was sure he would have lost consciousness from the sheer swell of sound and emotion filling the air. He hoped he could make it through this without fainting.

~~

Charles was holding on by a thread. The ceremony was beautiful, amazing, and triumphant and he felt like he was burning down from the inside out. This was all too much to take.

He’d been announced as the Ambassador of Earth. He’d been cheered and feted. He’d shaken hands with the president and first lady. The queen and crown prince. Dignitaries from around the world had eagerly made his acquaintance and offered brief small talk as he and Erik made their way down the receiving line.

He was stunned to realize they were _all seeking his favor_. He glanced at Erik who frankly seemed bored by all the pomp and circumstance. Charles felt a chill run through him when it finally hit him that he outranked everyone here.

Everyone on Earth. He clenched his teeth and smiled, now was not the time for an existential crisis. They reached the end of the line and turned to wave at the millions of people watching-billions if he counted broadcast viewers.

What had he gotten himself into?

~~

Erik was pleased with the ceremony Earth had thrown. The humans had outdone themselves. He had been too many such ceremonies and been the person of honor at most of those, but this was one for the reels.

Earth’s governments had decided to treat the day as a massive celebration. It had been declared an international holiday. There had been parades and festivals around the world celebrating Earths induction to the Federation.

They had missed the DC parade down Constitution Ave that had ended just an hour prior. He made a mental note to watch it later on the reels. Charles had mentioned a fondness for parades. Perhaps they could watch it together.

There was a lively energy in the air that created a sort of shared sense of enjoyment. He wondered if he was more connected to humanity because of his bond with Charles. It was a novel experience.

He could easily see Earth becoming a popular vacation destination for Genoshians. The day would have been perfect if not for Shaw’s presence and Charles’ nerves. He tried to deflect as much attention from his charming mate as he could without seeming rude. Charles whispered his thanks with a weak voice. Erik couldn’t wait for this to be over so he could whisk him back to the ship for some much needed rest.

~~

There had been speech after speech. Now they were seated on the main stage while the Members of the Federation Science Corps made their presentation.

Fortunately he didn’t need to focus on what Hank and his colleagues were saying since he’d been given a preview of the show. He felt better now that he was off his feet and wasn’t the center of attention. Erik sat perfectly still beside him, one hand resting on Charles’ knee. He found he appreciated the contact. It soothed him and quieted the hum of his mind.

Hank-who’s appearance had been met with a dramatic gasp from all assembled- was expounding upon the amazing scientific advancements they were gifting Earth.

They had found a way to improve soil and accelerate crop growth which spelled and end to world hunger. They had a proven, developed method of cleaning the ocean that would commence immediately. They even had the ability to resurrect extinct animals, pending requests by Earth’s scientists.

They were shifting factory farming off world onto a massive space station that would replicate Earth’s atmosphere and gravity to save the watersheds and reduce greenhouse emissions. They would also be able to regulate how the animals were treated and killed.

They had several processes to provide clean water to every society on Earth. They were willing and eager to work with Earth’s governments  to tailor the process as needed.

Hank returned to his seat next to Raven- who looked exactly like Mystique except she wore her hair in long, red curls that fell nearly to her waist. She was beaming with pride that Charles could practically feel-even across the stage.

They were followed by representatives from the Medical Corps who proudly announced cures for several diseases and disorders including many cancers such as leukemia, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer. Auto immune diseases including HIV/AIDS and lupus. And major killers like heart disease and kidney failure. They even offered help with infertility to name but a few.

They were looking for volunteers for their treatments for brain and mental disorders like Alzheimer, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, dementia, and delusional disorders. They had treatments but were looking for a cures.

The audience went wild. Charles felt tears fill his eyes; he placed his hand over Erik’s and gave it a light squeeze. “Thank you,” he whispered. Erik gave him a small smile and lightly tapped his knee in response.

Then something happened that Charles hadn’t been privy to. Another member of the Science Corps-one he hadn’t met- approached the podium. Charles glanced at Erik who was looking very pleased with himself.

The hulking scientist spoke through a pair of hefty tusks in a surprisingly mellow tone. He talked about the concern with Earth's population and how the advancements they’d already presented promised healthy, extended life spans for most people on Earth.

Overpopulation would rapidly become a serious issue.

Charles felt his heart stop. Were they going to ask for volunteers to go to Genosha? Were they going to cull portions of the population? He tensed.

“That’s why we’re proud to announce that we have shifted the orbit of your sister world which is now poised to become Earths first colony. With help from humanity, we will turn Venus into a second home for mankind.”

The crowd sat in stunned silence for several seconds before it exploded in a wave of excited emotion and thunderous applause. Charles felt himself tearing up again. This was a wonderful surprise that Erik had kept from him. He found he didn’t mind.

After the crowd finally managed to settle down, Weapons Technology made their presentation. Erik seemed irritated by the fact that they were presenting toys to the people of Earth, but Charles had agreed that they would be a huge hit, right up there with the wine chasers.

So they presented fully functional energy blasters modeled after Star Trek. They could only lightly shock an opponent but were great fun to mess around with-they also worked even with the violence deflector in place. They went hand in hand with the Light Sabers Weapons Tech had also produced.

The crowd cheered and laughed at the final presentation and Erik pretended not to notice one of his head engineers trying to catch the eye of a petite human woman with dusky skin and a thick black plait down the middle of her back.

Erik liked to end gift ceremonies on a lighter note and that certainly did it.

He stood, offering his hand to Charles so they could approach the podium as one. He waited for the applause to die down before he began speaking.

“Thank you all for the wonderful welcome you’ve given us. You live on a beautiful world that has captured my hearts.” He gave Charles a soft look as he said it, causing a buzz of speculation to ripple through the crowd. Charles desperately hoped he wasn't blushing.

“Humans are one of the most fascinating species we have ever encountered and I am proud to call this wonderful place my own. Your people are now my people and Earth is now my home. You are now members of the Intergalactic Federation. If they so desire, your children and your children’s children will explore the stars as members of the galactic fleet. This is an exciting time, not only for you but for the Federation as a whole. I know that you’ve faced many changes in the weeks since we arrived but in that time I’ve learned that humans are brave, strong, and resilient. You’ll do well within our ranks I have no doubt of that.  Now, you may wonder what is being asked of you in return for these gifts.”

The crowd was silent, a nervous edge clouding their minds. This was all too good to be true; they were waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Erik continued briskly “The only thing we ask is that you keep an open mind and accept us as we accept all of you. Over the course of the next few years you will see many life forms that may seem unusual to you but will soon appear commonplace.

We are happy to welcome you into our midst and are very pleased that you have chosen to offer us the same courtesy. I hereby welcome you, the good citizens of Earth, into the Intergalactic Federation.” His words were met with another extended round of applause. They stepped from behind the podium and bowed and waved to crowd. Charles smiled widely and grasped Erik's hand, leading to more enthusiastic cheers. Erik was glad their part in the ceremony was over and was ready to lead Charles back to their seats when-

 _WHHHOOOOMM_ a sudden shock rocked the audience off its feet, Erik braced himself and caught Charles as he nearly fell to the stage. He locked wide eyes with his frightened mate but before he could soothe him-

 **“WE WILL NOT BE ENSLAVED!”** a man shouted from the fringes of the crowd. Then all hell broke loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Chapter! Not the same week but earlier than usual! What did you think? Do you have any questions that need to be cleared up? I'll try not to keep you in suspense for too long! Comments are better than cookies! XOXO!


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter details a battle/terrorist attack. Its short and I'll summarize in the chapter notes if you'd like to skip it.

Everything happened in slow motion. Erik instinctively shielded Charles with his body. McCoy leapt over them both to pull Raven into his arms, she was pale and trembling, eyes wide she instinctively shifted to a thicker, more heavily muscled version of herself and clung to his thick fur anxiously.

Summers was trembling, clearly charging for a plasma blast as Armando and Moira flanked him on either side, weapons drawn.

The security teams of Earth’s elite had done the same and the dignitaries were flanked by heavily armed humans.

Erik’s lips thinned at the sight. That sound had been the Anti Aggression Shield powering down and given the fact that Charles was still at his side instead of having been teleported to safety, they were cut off from the fleet. Erik had no idea how that happened but it wouldn’t last long.

The humans responsible had to know that, he signaled McCoy- they had less than five minutes to wait for their tech to come back online which meant that whatever the humans had planned was about to happen.

For the next few minutes, Earth weapons were lethal and Erik could easily guess who was on the hit list. “Stay behind me,” he gripped Charles’ arm tightly. It might be for the best to send him off with the world leaders being hustled off the stage by their guards but he’d trusted the humans to arrange this ceremony and they’d failed spectacularly at that. He couldn’t put Charles in their care when none of them could be trusted to have his safety at heart.

The crowd had exploded into terrified screaming that rose up in a deafening roar. They were building up to a stampede though the police and security forces were doing their best to evacuate the grounds as quickly and safely as possible.

It wouldn’t be soon enough, Erik realized, whatever was about to happen was going to take out the stage and most of the crowd. It’s what any political terrorist would do.

By his count it had been just over one minute since the shield went down.

  **“Traitors get the bullet!!”** came a loud shout everyone glanced around as the voice seemingly echoed from everywhere. A man was clearly speaking over the PA system but not from the stage.

Charles whirled around, pale and shaking he didn’t recognize the voice, but the hatred behind it set his body alight with fear.

Erik braced himself at those words and threw up a magnetic shield around the stage just in time for a barrage of bullets to imbed in mid air just inches away from their position at the podium.

The humans screamed and dozens of them froze at the sight. Erik would have sent the bullets ricocheting back into the crowd without hesitation had it not been for the surprising amount of concern he felt for the terrified humans alternately huddled in groups or running for their lives.

The importance of keeping them all safe and alive filled his mind with nearly single minded focus. The feeling was foreign, especially in regards to traitors which humans had shown themselves to be. He didn’t have time to parse the emotion so he melded the bullets into an amalgam and pulled it to his side to keep as a weapon.

“Erik!” Charles clung to him trembling. His head ached like it was going to burst. He’d never been in more pain in his life.

Erik reacted to the pain in his voice with pure terror. Had Charles been wounded in spite of his shield? But no he was physically unharmed; Erik pulled him close to soothe him and hustled across the stage to stand with Raven, Hank, Moira, Sean, Alex and Armando. Shaw was guarding the exit to the stage that the human elite had been lead through.

 **“LIVE FREE OR DIE!!”** the voice echoed again, as another barrage of bullets hit Erik’s shield. The phrases seemed to be linked to acts of violence like military commands. He turned to Alex with a grim look, “I’ll take down the shield for three seconds. Take out the PA system, just the speakers.” He clarified, knowing Alex wouldn’t care to preserve the lives of traitors and would take out the media towers and reporters as well without hesitation or regret.

If he thought Erik’s orders were out of character he hid it well and gave a brisk nod, glancing at Armando out of the corner of his eye.

Erik understood his apprehension. It would have been better for him to show his powers during training where nothing could be damaged but there was nothing for it.

He lowered the shield and Alex wreaked havoc.

~~

The screams of terror had reached a fever pitch with Alex’s precise concussive blasts taking out the sound system. Erik quickly raised his shield just in time to block another barrage of bullets, though this time fire was returned by armed humans who had finally pin pointed the gunmen in the crush of the panicked crowd.

“You won’t escape justice, traitors!” A handsome young man dressed as a federal agent man yelled from across the stage, face twisted in hatred as he glared at the humans huddled together with the Genoshians. Moira’s eyes widened at the sight of him, “He’s rigged!” she twisted her body to shield Charles as Erik shoved the man with all his might but it was too late. He detonated in a fireball that would have left the building a smoking crater had Shaw not stepped forward and absorbed the blast in a shimmering, unsettling motion.

He turned his pale eyes to Erik and said with eerie calm, “I do believe that was nuclear.”

Erik had dropped his shields to shove the traitor aside but quickly raised them again as the gunfight in the crowd heated up but it was too late.

“Armando!” Alex cried. He was kneeling at the side of the injured man who had taken a stray bullet to the abdomen and been knocked to the floor with the force of impact.

Sean had also been hit but high up on his leg; Moira held him cradled in the protective curve of her body as an almost absurd amount of blood poured from his thigh.

Erik remembered him shielding Charles as Moira yelled. He’d taken the bullet meant for him.

“He’s bleeding out!” Charles cried in a panic, kneeling at his side and pressing trembling fingers into the bullet hole to staunch the flow of blood. It slowed but still pulsed out at an alarming rate.

Erik strengthened his shield, by his count it had been three minutes since the A.A.S. had gone down. He didn’t know how long Sean had but it wasn’t looking good. Moira was panicking, trying to keep him awake but he was fading fast, grey faced and trembling.

“MCCOY!” he yelled jerking around to see him with this huge palms wrapped tight around Raven’s neck, a sluggish trickle of thick cream colored blood steadily soaking his fur as it poured from what Erik could only imagine was a bullet wound to her throat. Her eyes were wide and panicked, glimmering dully in the weak winter sun.

Charles looked around the wreckage of the ceremony, terror printed on his expressive face, blue eyes filled with tears. He was horrified.

 **Whoooooommmmmm!** The shield was back online and they were once again in contact with the fleet.

Erik had never been angrier in his life.

Heads. Would. Roll.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary: the loud noise was the Anti Aggression Shield going down, they are also cut off from the fleet. Erik places a magnetic shield around the stage and stops several barrages of bullets. He lowers it so Alex can destroy the PA system placed around the grounds. There is a gun battle between humans and there is panic in the crowd as the venue is evacuated by cops and security. A man strapped with an explosive detonates and Erik redirects his shield to stop the blast , Shaw absorbs it instead Erik raises the shield but Armando, Sean, and Raven have been wounded by bullets. The shield/ connection with the fleet is reestablished. Erik is pissed.
> 
> What do you think? I'm working on the next chapter now! Comments? Questions? Concerns? Let me know!


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aftermath! (Discussions of a past battle/terrorist attack)

Charles woke slowly from a deep sleep. It felt like his head was stuffed full of cotton, like he was just getting over a severe migraine. He groaned and moved to sit up slowly but found he couldn’t.

His eyes snapped open as the attack at the induction ceremony suddenly slammed back into his mind all at once.

He struggled to sit up only to find that Erik was holding him tightly against his chest, hearts humming a soothing rhythm beneath his thick skin.

“Charles?” he pulled back as his tiny mate came awake in a flurry of motion. He’d been holding him for hours as he slept, simply watching over him and letting their bond soothe his nervous tension.

He turned in his arms and braced his palms against his strong chest, not trying to pull away. “Erik! What happened?” he demanded, eyes wide with residual fear.

“We were attacked,” Erik frowned, wondering if Charles was having a hysterical reaction to trauma as one of his biologists had warned him about.

“I know! I remember! What happened to Sean and Armando and Raven? Was anyone else injured?! “He tried to pull away from Erik’s firm embrace, “I have to go back. I have to-”

“You need rest,” Erik said shortly, mouth a thin line.

Charles felt a flicker of pure terror overlaid with a sea of boiling rage. It swamped him for a moment but he couldn’t figure why he was feeling that way. The sudden surge of emotion had him groaning as his headache flared back to life. He sank back against Erik, gritting his teeth against the pain.

“Charles, you’re ill.” Erik cuddled him close and spoke into his hair. “You’ve completed your transformation, part of that was developing telepathy.” He said softly, a shadow of something drifting across his mind before he turned it away.

Charles was floored, “What?”

“You can read minds and emotions. You seem to be quite powerful, but levels testing and training can occur after you’re rested.”

He remembered the ceremony, the overwhelming pain in his head, how ill he’d felt all day, especially when touching others. It was like something out of a nightmare. He shook his head wearily. “No, there must be some mistake.”

“I know it’s a lot to take in, I can leave you to your rest if you like,” Erik offered reluctantly. He didn’t want to leave his mate, especially so soon after the attack but he remembered how Charles needed time alone when he was upset.

But was that anytime he was upset or was it just when he was angry with Erik? Was he angry with Erik right now? He sighed. Human emotions were far too complex for him to parse.

Charles was quiet for a long moment, trying to collect his thoughts and make sense of all that had happened since, “How long have we been back?” he asked suddenly.

“Just over seven hours. We had to sedate you. You were frantic,” Erik ran hot hands up and down his spine in a soothing rhythm.

“I’ve rested enough. I’ve rested far too long.” Charles said flatly, he needed to get back to work; billions of lives were in the balance…unless. He sucked in a shuddering breath, ignoring the pain that lit his mind as he tensed further with stress. “Erik. Is Earth..?”

He frowned, eyebrows nearly at his hairline, “Still there? Yes. Fortunately for the Earthlings, they were fully inducted before the attack occurred.”

Charles sagged with reassurance, “Thank god.”

Erik said nothing as he was flooded with joy. He held perfectly still, suddenly realizing why he’d been so concerned with the well being of the crowd during the ceremony. Was it possible that Charles had the ability to influence minds as well as read them? He’d never heard of such an ability. He'd never thought anything like it was possible. Maybe it wasn't and he was simply reacting to Charles through their bond, but it bore investigation. He put the thought out of his head to worry over another time.

Charles noticed his silence and tensed again, “So what happens now?”

Erik sat up and pulled Charles into his lap, still needing the comfort of holding the other man in his arms. “Earth has been placed under martial law.”

He frowned at the term. “What does that mean?”

“The A.A.S is back in effect but in full force now. No weapons are functional in any capacity and even mild force with result in a pause.”

Charles paled, horrified, “Erik-”

He shook his head, pressing his lips tight in a deep frown. “They are also being overseen by seven governors to keep them in check and introduce them to life in the Federation properly.”

“Governors,” he echoed faintly.

“Yes, Genoshians appointed by me.”

“Admi-Erik, _please_. You must understand how this will impact humans’ view on the Federation.”

Erik was baffled. Why would that be a concern? “What.”

“Humans will rebel,” he warned, point blank.

“I should hope not, they’re on their last chance to remain autonomous in any capacity,” he said stiffly.

Charles was enraged, “How is what you’ve described **autonomous?!** ” he pushed away from Erik and rose from the bed to stand facing him, arms crossed legs akimbo.

“If there is another rebellion Earth will be evacuated and turned into a new settlement for Genoshians. Humans will be separated by millions and sent to other colonies in a seeding procedure.”

Charles’ mouth dropped open in shock, “you can’t be serious.”

“I’m enforcing Genoshian law.” He said firmly, eyes pale and unreadable. “If Earth weren’t my personal protectorate I wouldn’t have had the option of such a soft response to the rebellion.”

 _“Soft?! Rebellion?!_ It was a few misguided-”

Erik tilted his head, livid as the memories of those terrifying moments came rushing back, “It was numerous generals, soldiers and volunteers from across the planet.”

Charles was taken aback, “Across the planet?” he echoed, stunned.

“Yes, there were over forty simultaneous attacks across the globe.”

Charles paled and took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Casualties?”

“Hundreds dead, thousands wounded,” he said flatly. “They’re under Federation care.”

“You brought wounded humans onto the ship for treatment?!” he demanded, shocked.

“They’re not all on this ship,” he explained, confused. Why was Charles upset about that?

“Wha-“

“We can heal them, Charles. Earth medicine is rudimentary by any measurement.”

“So _hundreds_ of wounded people _vanished_ from Earth and have been here for _seven hours?!_ Have you made an announcement?”

Erik tilted his head to once side, eyes darkening to a crisp grey, “No.”

Charles turned and began pacing, “Oh god. This is worse than I thought. Erik, you can’t just treat people like this! You have to get medical consent! People must be **terrified!”**

“I can and will treat them like the Genoshian citizens that they are. They brought this upon themselves with their flagrant disregard for the sanctity of life.”

“ _What regard for sanctity of life?_ For goodness sakes Erik! You threatened to **destroy the planet** if we didn’t surrender!”

He stood in one fluid motion and loomed over Charles, standing stock still and unblinking, “But Earth _did_ surrender and was inducted. Ignorance of our laws is _no excuse for disobeying them,_ ” he said sternly.

Charles gaped at him.

“For all their fancy words, the majority of the terrorists were unwilling to die for their cause, though they were comfortable ending innocent lives to make their point,” he added coolly.

Charles felt a cold trickle of fear drip down his spine, “What happened to them?”

“Those who didn’t die in the attack have been taken into custody and are awaiting punishment.”

“Where?” Charles asked, feeling sick and fearing that he already knew the answer.

Erik was exasperated by Charles’ confounding reaction to this news, “The prison ship.”

He was horrified to have his fears proven right. “They committed the crime on Earth against other humans! They should still be under the jurisdiction of Earth’s governments!” he argued hotly.

Erik still hadn’t moved, “They committed crimes on a Genoshian colony against their Admiral and Consort.” Charles opened his mouth to argue further but Erik cut him off sharply. “I was well within my rights to purge the Earth of humans or even raze the planet for this offense and make no mistake, had you been injured in _any way_ that’s _exactly_ what I would have done.”

Charles’ labored breaths were the only sound in the room for long, tense minutes of unflinching eye contact. Their standoff was only broken by the sound of both of their tablets chiming. Charles flinched at the sound.

Erik finally looked away from his trembling mate, “Agent Cassidy is awake.”

Charles took a step back from the taller man, palms clammy with nerves, “Is he on board?”

“Yes, all of your colleagues are. Captain Summers wanted to take his mate back to his ship but was happy to have his personal surgeon come aboard to treat his mate instead.”

“Are they alright?” he repeated his first question upon waking, concern for his friends suddenly first and foremost in his mind.

“They are all well,” Erik said smoothly, but something in his answer seemed…off.

Charles frowned at his caginess. “I’d like to see them.”

Erik agreed, “I’ll take you to the medical deck.”

Charles thought that was a great idea, considering how sick he felt from all these revelations. And he had a feeling he didn't know the half of it yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More to come soon! Thank you for reading and commenting! I love you all!


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continued handling of the aftermath of the attack!

They made their way quickly thought the winding, identical halls of the ship. Charles longed for distance from Erik while he worked through all he’d been told but the pounding in his head grew worse with each person they passed in the hall.

For some reason he felt immeasurably better when close to Erik. He tried to stand apart but the pain quickly grew to crippling levels as he was assaulted by a barrage of emotions and fleeting impressions of thoughts. His head felt like to split open and he was nearly blind from the agony by the time he gave in and pressed against Erik’s side. His thoughts and feelings soothed Charles’ senses and he was finally able to breathe smoothly.

By the time they made it to the med bay they were hand in hand and his headache was fading to more manageable levels with each passing moment. Erik absently gave his hand a comforting squeeze and ran his other hand gently through Charles’ hair. He leaned into the comfort for a second before pulling back.

He thought back to the terrifying look on Erik’s face when he said he’d have destroyed the planet he professed to love had Charles been injured.

Charles was ashamed to admit that he was awe struck and flattered by that level of devotion. No one had cared for him deeply since his father died and his mother turned to drink. Now he had someone who literally thought he was worth more than all the rest of humanity combined.

He was awful for being charmed by that.

“Charles,” he turned to see Moira dressed in a stark white wrap dress and flats. She was watching him warily.

“Moira,” he let go of Erik to pull her into a tight hug that she returned after a moment of hesitation. “Are you alright?” he asked softly.

“I’m-unhurt,” she hedged giving Charles a weary look. He understood the feeling.

“Sean and Armando?” he asked worriedly.

“They told me Sean is awake and ready for visitors. Armando was released hours ago, I’m waiting for him to get back so we can see Sean together.”

Charles was stunned, hadn’t Armando been gut shot? Perhaps Genoshian Medicine really was light years ahead of Earths. “How was he released so quickly?”

“The bullet didn’t penetrate,” Charles turned to see the man himself walking in, shoulder to shoulder with a relieved looking Captain Summers.

He returned Charles’ hug with gusto, earning them both frowns from their possessive mates though neither said anything. “Apparently I can adapt to wounds. I’m not clear on how it works yet but Ale- Captain Summers is pretty happy about it for some reason,” he shrugged giving Charles a concerned once over.

“That’s wonderful!  I’m so glad you’re alright!” Charles said, relieved.

“Thanks, Charles.  I was worried about you too,” he said softly. Trading careful looks with Moira.

A tall, well muscled man with fluid silver skin stepped out of one of the surrounding opaque patient quarters and looked them over. “Visitors for Sean Cassidy?”

Moira stepped forward eagerly, “Yes.”

“Please come in.”

~~

Erik was baffled. The Humans were all safely accounted for and fully healed. Some were being kept in treatment for prior illnesses before being returned to their homes. They were planning a mass return as they had taken a mass influx. Everything was going fine except the for fact that Charles was livid.

Erik could feel his rage and frustration pressing against his mind everywhere they went. He was also swamped with resentment that he needed Erik at his side to keep the ravages of his telepathy at bay. None of this would irk him so much if his mate hadn’t _insisted_ on traveling to each ship and visiting with the humans in their med bays.

They were all painfully relieved to see him and reeked of fear and desperation. Frankly they seemed appallingly ungrateful for being rescued.

Erik was grateful to have someone else to deal with them and was more than a little impressed with how well Charles and his team handled what they called a ‘crisis situation.” Hyperbolic to say the least.

Charles had used the fleet communications system to calmly explain to their human guests that they had been wounded in a planned terrorist attack and brought aboard for healing. Their homes and their families were fine and they would be returned to them before the day was out. The message had been translated into every necessary language and some of the cowering had finally stopped.

That had been ten hours after their return. It had now been _sixteen hours_ and they had just finished the rounds in the med bay of the final ship treating humans.

Erik had reluctantly allowed Charles’ team of agents to contact Earth with an update bulletin that had gone around the world in record time, explaining what had occurred and what the next steps were in Federation’ Earth relations.

Charles’ anger and frustration had spiked through Erik’s mind as he was explaining the new System of Governors Erik had in place. He truly had no concept of how any other Admiral would have treated such an attack. He shuddered to think what Shaw would have done had Earth been his personal protectorate.

The bulletin had included the whereabouts of the missing humans and the clarification that all but the suspected terrorists would be returned to their pickup location on Earth before 24 hour had passed.

That had been 12 hours post attack and Charles and the agents had been frantic to update the rest of humanity as soon as possible. “It’s already been too long!” Charles had snapped when Erik had hesitated to grant his permission.

He was still enraged over the attack and thought letting them stew in their uncertainly for a few days would teach them a well earned lesson in humility. In deference to his mate he’d agreed and Charles’ prickly mind had soothed just a bit.

Erik tried not to be jealous as Charles turned on the charm with human after human, shaking hands and asking where they were from and how they’d been treated. He genuinely cared for them and that made Erik care for them too. There was no doubt left in his mind that Charles was influencing his thoughts and moods-though it was clear that his mate was doing it subconsciously.

He wondered if Charles could influence others’ as well or if this power was only limited to the extent of their bond.

Erik felt the effects of Charles’ mood constantly. He couldn’t even feel properly disgusted by the humans’ overwhelming fear of their surroundings. They couldn’t all be like his brave, adventurous mate. That didn’t make them unworthy of consideration he decided magnanimously as he watched Charles sit with a woman holding a young child whose leg had been badly burned in the attack. After all, they were his people now too.

~~

Charles swayed on his feet- head hurting so badly that Erik’s teeth ached; he placed two fingers to each temple and rubbed backwards, eyes tightly closed. He sighed deeply and leaned against the nearest wall.

They were alone in an access hallway making their way back to the bridge so they could teleport back to the flagship. Erik hated to see Charles in such pain; his head must feel like it was splitting apart. He’d had aural implants installed and taken a crash course on their usage from their inventor and begun his humanitarian mission just after making his announcement and helping the team create their bulletin.

He was a quick study and well versed in hiding his pain- a fact that disturbed Erik on a personal level, but he knew better than to bring it up in mixed company.

“Charles. You’ve done enough.” M _ore than enough_ he thought grudgingly and from the look Charles shot him he heard quite clearly.

Erik titled his head to one side. He didn’t care if Charles knew his thoughts. He rather thought it might help his mate understand him far better.

Charles’ eyes slid shut once more and he heaved a weary sigh. “Let’s go back to your ship. I need to make another announcement before we send everyone back home. We should also alert the governments that these people are returning.”

“Charles-“

“Erik. Now is not the time. Once this is all taken care of we can talk and you can fuss over me the way you’re clearly dying to. I have responsibilities to my people,” he cut in sharply.

Erik locked eyes with him for a long moment and a quiet thought bloomed in the back of his mind. Charles was looking pale and ill again and gave no sign of hearing. He held the thought close to turn over in his mind. “As you say.” He said softly, taking Charles by the hand and leading him down the silent corridor.

Charles felt himself relax as the buzz of hundreds of minds that his telepathy was trying to translate faded into the distance. He let himself sink into the warmth of Erik’s protective concern and relax for just a moment.

~~

“What are we going to do?” Armando asked softly. They were all huddled in Sean’s room discussing their options.

“Charles seems to have more power than we gave him credit for,” Sean admitted reluctantly.

“Thank goodness,” Moira murmured softly. “I’d hate to think of what might have happened had the Admiral fallen for someone cruel or self serving.”

Sean grimaced at the thought, “Yeah. It could have been so much worse.”

“That doesn’t answer what we’re going to do,” Armando brought the conversation back around.

“I think we need to let Charles do his job and be our ambassador,” Moira said prosaically. “Let’s make a list of necessities and have him present them to the Admiral."

“We _need_ to get them to put the A.A.S back to its pre-attack level,” he said shortly.

“Absolutely,” Sean agreed.

“ _And_ we need to get the suspected terrorists send back to Earth for trial,” Moira added.

“I don’t see that happening. We are Genoshian citizens whether we like it or not. It’s time for us all to accept that. From what Charles said, things could have been a great deal worse had the Admiral allowed it,” Armando said.

“What are you suggesting? That we leave Earth citizens who have been accused of a crime to be dissected by aliens?!” Moira snapped.

“That’s not what I’m saying! We don’t know how they will be punished!”

“Maybe that’s the key!” Sean cut in softly.

They turned as one to look at him, “What do you mean?”

“I mean most humans are not happy with the terrorists. They nearly got us all killed, they could have gotten the planet destroyed,” he explained slowly.

“Yeah.” “True.”

“And we know exactly nothing about the Federation or how they operate,” he added.

“Yes.” “So?”

“So we can use this as a learning opportunity, show people how their legal system works. Maybe get an explanation of the rules we need to follow.”

“That’s not a bad idea.” Moira said thoughtfully. “They must have some sort of constitution we can study. We need to know what it means to be a protectorate and how we rank in this system. We need to know our rights and how we can defend them.”

“Alright. Once everyone is returned we take this to Charles and see what we can do,” Armando was relieved to have a plan in place.

“Aren’t _we_ going back?” Sean asked, surprised.

“We may need to stay, Charles might need us,” Moira said with a worried frown.

“Earth certainly does,” Armando agreed. He also felt better with his team aboard than when it was just him and Charles against the Federation.

“So let’s say that’s something we need too,” Sean said decisively.

“What?”

“A team of representatives from Earth present on the fleet as long as they’re in orbit.”

He blushed deeply at Moira’s proud smile. Happy to prove his worth during this catastrophe.

“Great. We have a plan in place, now all we need is to get Charles alone.”

Armando snorted a laugh, "Easier said that done."

But Moira wasn't giving up yet, "We go through official channels and ask for a meeting as soon as possible. This is too important to leave any longer."

They went back to planning, trying to think of any other demands to put on their list before their briefing with Charles.

~~

Charles was exhausted. He was more grateful than he could say that Erik had allowed them to communicate with Earth.

He had clearly been opposed to Charles receiving aural implants before training his telepathy but he had sat at his side while they were installed and helped him practice using them before going on a goodwill tour of his own fleet.

Charles loved how Erik openly and unashamedly deferred to him when he pressed his case, even when he clearly disagreed. For the first time since realizing what it meant to be Erik’s mate, Charles felt like they might be able to build something together on a personal level.

“Charles,” he felt a wave of irritation rush over his mind, it mixed with the deep concern for his well being that Erik had been grappling with all day.

He looked up at him wearily, leaning heavily against his side as they made their way back to their quarters. Erik had sent a message to Earth to alert them of the impending return of their citizens. Just then a similar message to their guests began to play in several languages as humans were prepared for teleportation.

“Yes?” he asked softly, sinking into the gentle care Erik felt only for him as the message continued softly in Cantonese

“Your companions want to stay aboard and are requesting a meeting with you,” Erik’s lips were a thin, colorless line, and his eyes shifted from pale blue to slate grey.

He chuckled tiredly at the sight of his mate’s displeasure. “I’m about to collapse. Let them stay aboard and we’ll deal with them tomorrow,” he sighed wearily.

All he wanted was to relax and have a long soak in the tub, a stiff drink, and a nice cuddle with Albert; he felt Erik’s relief at his words and felt the other man relax his stiff posture.

“Good, they ask too much of you,” he said softly, tucking Charles beneath his arm, relishing his soft weight against his side.

Charles gave him a tiny smile; it was nice to be appreciated and he couldn’t deny that the bond he shared with the Admiral had been his saving grace over this long, tiring day. “I’m alright,” he soothed the taller man. And for the first time since the attack and the revelation of his telepathy, he felt like that might actually be true.

~~

Shaw grimaced at his tablet. Lehnsherr had refused his request for a late meeting. He’d been offered meeting the following day.

These little slights had built up over time into a deep resentment of all his Derrian brothers and their whore mothers. But he didn’t let the little things get him down when he was so close to reaching his goal.

As a child he’d been hurt by their rejection and he hadn’t understood why even his own brother had disdained his company. It wasn’t until late adolescence when he’d received official permission to visit his father in prison that he’d come to understand his true purpose.

He chuckled as he read over the curt message; here Erik was trying to put him off again. Trying to keep distance between them that his parents had set up. Well that wouldn’t fly anymore, especially since his favorite brother had gone and taken a mate.

No doubt his whore of a mother had filled his head with falsehoods about Shaw, his father, and their glorious purpose. She would pay for her lies, they all would.

He had been vindicated by the light in his father’s eyes. Sebastian was everything his father had hoped for when he’d begun his ill fated experiments.

He finally understood why the Derrians rejected him. He was a higher form of life. They thought there was something missing from him and they were right. He was pure; he was free from the imperfections that plagued his mother’s people. Simply put, he was better.

Their time had finally come and soon Erik would understand what he meant to accomplish. They would stand side by side as he completed the work his father had begun. He was living proof that nature could be bent and shaped to the will of science. And shape it he would.

He quickly typed out his agreement to the meeting time Erik had offered. He wouldn’t be kept from his destiny any longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long Chapter! Lots of info! More to come soon! What did you think of Charles' grueling day? Any requests the team should put in place? What is Erik thinking? What is Shaw up to? All will be answered soon! 
> 
> Much love to you all and thanks for your support XOXO!


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles takes some time for introspection, important meetings are had, Erik has feelings, Shaw has plans

Erik sent Charles to the main room to rest on the plush couch he'd summoned for his mate. Charles agreed with a tired sigh and ran his fingers through his hair as he slouched down in exhaustion.

He must have fallen asleep because when he woke, Albert was purring happily curled on his chest. He smiled and ran his fingers through his soft fur, "hello, darling. Did you miss me?" Albert mewled which he chose to take as a 'yes, very much.'

"Charles?" Erik called softly.

He glanced up to see the Admiral waiting at the door of the bathroom concern clouding his mind. "Yes?" he asked, too tired to maintain his anger at the other man at present.

Erik made his way over swiftly and placed a warm hand on the back of his neck, causing his muscles to relax from the heat. Charles moaned and pressed back into the touch.

"Come, you need your rest," Erik said, mind a conflicted bundle of thoughts and feelings that Charles didn't care to explore.

"Isn't that what I've been doing?" he asked groggily.

Erik gave his tiny human smile and shook his head affectionately, Charles was impressed- that was the best non verbal communication he'd ever seen from the other man. He wondered if their bond had changed Erik or if he'd simply learned to fake it better.

"I ran you a bath and turned on the jets. Come, I'll get you some tea and you can relax," he said softly.

That sounded like heaven, but how did he know exactly what he needed?

"You were thinking it loudly in the hall. I don't believe it extends past our bond, so don't be concerned," he smoothed a hand through Charles' hair lovingly.

Surprisingly he wasn't. As much as he'd been through today, perhaps he deserved a bit of spoiling; besides he was too tired to fight or try and work on his telepathy. "Alright, a bath sounds wonderful. You can surprise me with the tea; I am in the mood for honey."

"Of course," Erik smiled and helped him to his feet. Before he knew it he'd been methodically stripped and helped into the gently churning water. It was bliss. And when Erik added a neck pillow and jasmine tea with honey it only got better.

He closed his eyes to take a sip of tea- it was perfect- but when he opened them again, he was alone in the room, his clothes replaced with a huge, fluffy robe. He was stunned. Erik never voluntarily left him alone. He'd said they needed to keep close to strengthen their bond, but all day he'd been reluctant with the taller man, all but pushing him away, actually snapping at him several times.

Charles felt a shiver of guilt at the thought. He felt fine now that they were secluded in their quarters, but how was Erik faring? Would he need more contact than Charles was offering? He was going through his own set of changes and dealing with an overwhelmingly stressful situation as well. Would he make his needs known? Somehow, Charles doubted it.

He sighed and looked around the spacious bathroom and luxurious accommodations; it would be much easier to reject Erik if he weren't so genuinely sweet in his own misguided way.

He slowly sipped his tea and let the jets work the tension out of his muscles as he thought over the events of the past few days and all he had scheduled in the days to come. He needed Erik on his side, on Earth's side. More than that, he had given his word to be a proper mate and even consider a romantic relationship once this crisis had passed.

Charles set his tea aside and ran his fingers through his damp hair, wondering how this could all turn out well. He felt like he was walking through a mine field. Only any of the explosives he set off would spell the end of mankind.

He could only hope that the team had some ideas to share with him in the meeting they'd requested. He needed all the help he could get.

The only thing he needed to handle himself was the issue of their bond, and fortunately he had some thoughts on that.

~~

Erik was irritated, something he wouldn't have thought possible after the pleasant evening he and Charles had shared the night before.

After his bath, Charles had shared a meal with him, still wrapped in his fluffy robe; looking soft and approachable with his flushed cheeks and damp curls. Their conversation had been stilted and centered on their meal and schedules for the following day, but he supposed that was to be expected with the political turmoil surrounding them.

He hoped Charles could see that they were on the same side and wanted the same things, but from the shadowed looks his mate kept sending, he doubted it.

As the evening drew to a close, Charles bit his plush lower lip and gazed at him with wide eyes. Erik felt his hearts stutter nervously, wishing he had the power to read minds or even understand what that look meant and why it filled him with foreboding.

He cleared his throat and clutched his robe closed tightly at the neck, "I- I'm going to go get changed for bed. Give me a few minutes?"

"Of course," Erik replied automatically, wondering what he needed the few minutes for and why he was telling Erik he was going to get changed.

He watched the other man slip away and stood to reorder the room and recycle their leftovers. Albert mewled at him from his perch on the counter and Erik surreptitiously slipped him a bit of sea bass and received a head butt in thanks.

He loved spoiling his little Earthling, though he knew Charles would disapprove. Hopefully his mate couldn't read the minds of lesser creatures or the game would be up.

"Erik?" Charles called softly and he turned quickly, hoping the other man wasn't here to scold him for their moment. He looked lovely in a pair of stripped sleep pants and a loose undershirt.

Charles frowned, "Where did all the food go so quickly?"

Erik blinked out of his reverie "I recycled the leftovers. If you're still hungry-" he began, stopping when Charles waved his concern away with a bemused smile.

"Recycled? You'll have to tell me more about that another time," his smile faded and he glanced away before saying. "I'm going to bed. If you'd like to join me. For **sleep**."

Erik was stunned. He hadn't thought Charles would allow him so close for so long any time soon. Then he realized that his clever mate likely wanted to allow Erik the physical closeness he needed while Charles was far away and dreaming.

He tried not to feel rejected, but it was difficult. "Of course," was all he said, hearts racing at the prospect of holding his mate for hours to soothe their strained bond.

He followed Charles into the bedroom and watched as he crawled into bed and slipped into sleep almost immediately. Erik lay next to him silently and only needed to wait for two earth hours to pass before his mate curled against him, soft and lithe and perfect.

He closed his eyes and carded his fingers through his hair, forgoing sleep in favor of making plans and hoping that Charles needed to be conscious to read minds.

~~

Their morning together had gone just as well, with Charles eating a full breakfast and not fussing about Erik holding his hand to escort him to the meeting with his team.

"I'll see you after?" he'd asked nervously and Erik could feel his fear of his own telepathy consuming him, though he hid it well.

"Of course, and if you need me, just call. I'd be happy to cut short my meeting with Shaw. You'd be doing me a favor," he quirked his thin lips together and was gone before Charles realized it was meant to be a smile.

Just then the door Erik had left him in front of slid open revealing a concerned looking Armando and a rush of voices and emotion. He painted on a grin and greeted them warmly. Silently hoping this didn't take long. He couldn't wait to get back to the silence of their quarters and the comfort that only Erik's mind could bring.

~~

Erik felt sick with anxiety by the time his meeting was through. That was standard when dealing with Shaw but for some reason his smug insinuations and refusal to speak clearly or come to a definite point irritated Erik now more than ever before.

"What are you getting at, Shaw?" he finally snapped, tired of hearing mundane requests that could have easily been handled through military or even civilian channels. This was not the work of two Admirals meeting in person.

He was up to something.

Shaw frowned at his sharp words and locked eyes with Erik as though trying to tell him something without saying it aloud.

He tilted his head, eyes shifting to pale gray, "I just wanted a moment with my favorite brother and the most successful Admiral of our time. I hope I haven't wasted yours."

There was a wealth of meaning in his words that Erik couldn't parse. For a brief moment he wished Charles were here. Even without his telepathy he had a way of understanding people that Erik never would. Then he brushed aside the foolish notion. If he had a say, Charles and Shaw would never be in the same room again.

As though able to hear his thoughts Shaw smiled though it seemed forced, "And how is mated life treating you? Is it everything it's said to be?"

Erik relaxed a bit; perhaps Shaw was simply jealous that he hadn't yet found his mate. Erik knew the feeling well and sympathized with his single brothers. Besides, Shaw was jealous of everything Erik accomplished.

As far as Erik knew, Shaw didn't even feel the same with about his actual elder brother who had gone into politics instead of the military.

It was unsettling to be the sole focus of his attention.

"It is." He thought back to cuddling Charles against his chest through the night. "Everything and more."

Shaw pressed his lips together in a tight frown, eyes shifting to a pale winter blue. "Good, I hope to have my mate soon as well." His eyes glittered as he said it; an ominous undercurrent laced his words, filling Erik with apprehension.

He knew that no non-Derrian would understand what he meant if he tried to explain the feeling. Perhaps Shaw had someone in mind? Or he wanted to find his mate to prove them all wrong, that nothing was missing from his soul.

Erik didn't know and at the moment felt too ill from being in his presence to care. Their tablets chimed the end of their scheduled meeting. He stood and bowed at the waist, unable to bring himself to touch the vile man standing across from him, watching him like a predator waiting for the kill.

"Thank you for your service to the Federation during the attack on Earth's Induction ceremony. I've logged and reported your actions with the Commission with the recommendation that you be honored for your bravery," he said firmly.

Shaw tilted his head, eyes limpid silver, "Anything for my favorite brother and his new colony."

Erik suppressed a shudder at his voice and his sickening words with their hidden meanings. "Safe travels back to your fleet."

"Until we meet again," Shaw pulled his lips back and bared his teeth in a hideous mimicry of a human smile.

Erik hid a flinch at the sight and bowed once more before swiftly left the room without looking back, though he could feel Shaw's eyes on him until he rounded the hallway out of view.

Trust Shaw to ruin a perfectly good morning by being his sinister self. Erik had no idea how the other Admiral had any other Genoshian fooled but he would never trust that second born monster.

He deliberately turned his mind to his mate, eager to see him again and treat with him over the future of his personal protectorate.

~~

"Alright. I think that covers it," Charles said wearily.

Erik gave him a blank stare. This conversation had been both lengthy and exhausting. He suspected Charles felt the same. "These requests seem reasonable. I'm willing to implement them with a few modifications."

Charles frowned at him from across the small conference table. He fully agreed with the requirements Moira and the rest of the team had presented to him just hours prior. They'd made an excellent case and prepped him well for this meeting. He wasn't sure what Erik wanted to change but it couldn't be anything good.

"I'm open to releasing our laws and regulations to humanity and will have that information readily available on the internet by tomorrow midnight. We will begin printing up hard copies as well for humans who prefer those."

Charles was relieved to hear that, "Thank you, Admiral. I'm sure that knowing the laws we are expected to abide by will help immeasurably."

Erik blinked at him and continued shortly, "As to providing legal representation for the accused. That's not something we need or will allow." He held up his hand to forestall Charles' protest. "We deal in facts. What the accused did or didn't do will be revealed through records, testimony, and their own words. They will sit before a tribunal and be judged."

"But how can you know you're getting the full truth?" Charles demanded.

Erik gave him an odd look at that. "Our tribunals are composed of telepaths, empaths, and those with the natural ability to discern lies from the truth. There is never any doubt as to whether our verdicts are just and correct."

Charles was stunned. He hadn't considered that facet of their society. The use of their abilities permeated everything they did.

"So someday I could sit on a tribunal?" he wondered aloud. He felt a slight twinge of discomfort from Erik at his words and shot the other man a sharp look but got nothing back from that impassive façade.

"Perhaps," he hedged, though it sounded an awful lot like a 'no' to Charles. He frowned; Erik had never denied him anything. Why would this casual inquiry be the breaking point? He wasn't even expressing an actual interest in being a sitting judge and Erik was already on edge. Something was off about this.

"I am willing to reset the A.A.S to pre attack levels after three months of less than 5% lethal aggression attempts," Erik returned to their negotiations without warning.

Charles frowned, that was awfully low, "30%."

Erik frowned, "7."

"25."

"10," he countered unequivocally.

Charles was caught wrong footed; he hadn't expected this to come to a haggle. Just how non violent could humans really be for three months in a row. He had to hope they could at least manage, "20% final offer and that's asking A LOT." He locked eyes with Erik and held his breath until the other man tilted his head and tapped a few times on his tablet.

"Agreed. Let's hope this lesson brings them up to civilized standards of behavior sooner rather than later."

"Yes, lets." Charles said shortly.

"I see no issue in airing the trials for the entire world to see. In fact they will be broadcast to any in the Federation who care to view."

"Will many peop-uh, Genoshians want to watch?" he asked curiously.

"Yes. Humans are fascinating," Erik said flatly.

"How so?" he asked, surprised.

"Your planet has many species that live in tandem, yet humans-the dominant species- live on very little land and beneath none of the water, or in space. And yet you have many myriad languages, cultures, and religions-some within just a few miles of each other, many overlapping. Also you have many children-even multiples. As a rule, Genoshians love children."

"Oh," he swallowed thickly at that. It was disconcerting to think of billions of aliens watching the trials, all eager to know more about Earth and humans in general.

It was more disconcerting to be reminded of his role in creating at least one more Genoshian child.

"Was there anything else?" Erik asked, eyes shifting to light brown, concern flickering in his mind.

"No, that's all for now," he admitted shakily.

"Alright. I'll escort you back to our quarters where you can rest and catch up on news from your planet. Your tablet can also run a program to help practice with your aural implants," he said smoothly.

Charles looked surprised at his words, "Where will you be?" he hoped he didn't sound overly suspicious.

"Managing the fleet and the colonies under our protection. Preparing for the trial," he said stiffly, something lighting in the back of his mind that Charles couldn't grasp before it was gone.

He frowned.

"Charles?"

"The trial, when does it start?" he asked warily, realizing they hadn't discussed those details.

Erik tilted his head, "The day after next, as soon as the tribunal arrives."

Charles was shocked "So soon?"

"Yes. Why waste time?" he asked prosaically.

Charles looked like he was going to be sick to his stomach. Erik gently took his hand to lead him back to their chambers. This reaction is exactly what he'd been afraid of.

His mate carried the weight of his species on his shoulders and it was a burden to great for any man. He decided to change the subject from the pending trial to more pleasant topics, "Mystique wants to visit with you when you have time. She's concerned about you."

Erik felt pleased surprise bloom in his mind and looked to see Charles' sweet smile, "That would be lovely. She can stop by any time. Unless she'd rather meet in her rooms?" he gave a slight frown. "How can I contact her myself?"

"I can show you on your tablet," Erik said smoothly as they entered their quarters. He'd happily take any excuse to spend a few more minutes in his company, especially with such a busy few days ahead.

"Thank you," Charles smiled up at him and gave his hand a light squeeze before letting go. Things were shaping up nicely.

~~

Admiral Shaw boarded his private vessel with a tinge of regret. His exchange with Erik had gone exactly as expected but nothing like he'd wanted it to.

The other man still didn't understand Shaw or his goals. But he would. They all would. And what better way to do that than through Erik, their best and brightest favored son?

He smiled to himself, the fact that Erik had taken a mate would actually progress his plan. At first the news had enraged him, but now he could see the many benefits of it. No one could accuse him of being heartless.

In fact, he'd be seen as the very opposite of that once his plans came to fruition and nature itself was his to manipulate at a cellular level. "Ours will never be a goodbye, brother dear." He said softly, watching the Northern Flagship drift away until his pilot activated the FTL drive and he was far across the universe in an instant.

It was past time for him to get back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long to update! I hope it's worth the wait! Please point out any errors or plot holes or just ask any questions you have! Thank you for waiting! You all are truly the best!xx


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visitors! Big news for Charles!

_“They’ve kidnapped American, French, Chinese, Australian, Indian, Japanese, Russian, and Moroccan citizen just to name a few! Where are their rights? We were told that our laws and customs would still be in effect! That’s clearly not true! What else haven’t we been told? What other lies have the slaves in our government fed us? And who is this **Charles Xavier?”**_

“They treated our wounds and sent us home. I don’t remember much, but I think I was horribly wounded. My family thought I was dead. They were so happy to see me  
alive and well.”

“What did they do to you up there?"

"I’ve got to tell you, I woke up naked and alone in a white room with nothing in it. I thought I was dead."

"Why?"

“I felt no pain, I heard no sound. I didn’t see a light source but the room was well lit. I was _terrified._

"When did you realize you were on an alien spacecraft?"

"When the 'doctor' walked in. he-it was this massive, spiny...thing. Somehow speaking French. I thought I was going to be killed. Or **worse**."

"Worse?"

"Raped or eaten.”

_“We’re looking to start a support group for those of us who were taken. Many of us have recurring nightmares of waking up on those ships, trapped and alone. Wondering where our families and loved ones were. Waiting for our captors to come for us. It was torture.”_

“They saved us. Their technology was unreal. While we were watching the announcements I thought there was no way they could cure and treat all the diseases they mentioned. But now I believe it. They’re going to save us all!”

**“These trials are going to be the true test of what we can expect over the coming months and years of captivity!! We’ll see the true barbarism behind these beasts when they feed on the flesh of their prisoners!!”**

_“Those terrorists nearly got us all killed. I hope they kill them and let us watch.”_

“They killed so many humans, but as far as I know. No Genoshians. What was the point of those attacks? What were they trying to prove? And now we live in fear every day. I’ll be watching every minute of the trials. They killed my sister. They very nearly killed my son. I want justice for them and all the victims of the attacks.”

_**“** I want to know how they did it. How did they take down the shield? What was their plan if they’d killed the Admiral and his consort? Our lives meant nothing to them. They’re already dead to me. To lots of us.”_

**“Those patriots are true Earth heroes! They stood for us when our governments wouldn’t! One day, when Earth is free again, we’ll revere the names of these brave men and women!”**

“To quote a favorite movie of mine. ‘Yes, they deserve to die and I hope they burn in hell!’ ”

“Did you see how quick it all went down? From attack to now-the day of the trial- it’s been four days. Four. Days. They’ve healed the injured and sorted the dead for burial. They’ve already begun rebuilding what was destroyed and are even talking about building monuments to our fallen."

"And that’s a bad thing?"

"I’m not saying it’s bad or good, just scary. We’re out of our league and I don’t think most people have admitted that to themselves yet.

"So what do you think our plan should be going ahead?"

"What can we do but learn to live as Genoshians? After seeing them in action, I’ve given up hope of them ever leaving.”

**_“Charles Xavier. Former professor turned concubine for alien scum. How do we know he isn’t one of them? How do we know he wasn’t part of a pre invasion infiltration plan? How many of them are there among us now? Gen-lovers! Alien whores! They ought to be put down like the animals they are!”_ **

_“We’ll all be watching the trials. I want to know what to expect if we break the law. It’s a whole new world out there.”_

~~

“Oh! He look at him go!” Raven tossed her head back and laughed, glossy red curls tumbling over her bare shoulders and down her back. Charles glanced at her exposed throat but couldn’t see a scar among her scales. He wondered if it was fully healed or just camouflaged by her ability.

Her exclamation caught Albert’s attention from where it was focused on Kurt, a tiny, midnight blue infant who had shifted his little extremities into paws so he could  
scamper after his new best friend.

Charles had been worried about his cat’s reaction to the baby, but Mystique had assured him that Albert’s delicate claws and teeth couldn’t get through Kurt’s tough scales. In the end, he needn’t have worried; they got along like a house on fire.

“Aww you made them stop!” Mystique shushed her friend playfully, shooing the adorable pair back into their games in Albert’s cat paradise.  
Charles laughed at their frolicking; it was amazing how quickly Kurt had picked up acting like a cat. He swatted at Albert and head butted him affectionately. Albert mewled and groomed the baby’s elfin ears, setting him off in a fit of raspy giggles.

“Best friends!” Mystique said in a sing song voice that had her son scurrying to her side and scrambling up her like she was a scratching post. She settled back onto the sofa and wrapped her skin around him like a cocoon until he was no longer in sight.

Apparently it was time for a snack. Once cocooned he drew from his mothers physical energy as nourishment. Apparently in a pinch he could feed from any shifter, but that was considered taboo except for dire circumstances.

“It’s like you’re pregnant again,” Raven smiled at the sight.

“Almost exactly,” she chuckled. “And it’ll be your turn next.”

Raven blushed lavender and darted her gaze to Charles, stroking Albert who had crawled onto her lap for attention. “I’m sure Charles is next,” she said sounding embarrassed and signing something to Raven sharply.

“Oh! Sometimes human couples go for years without procreating. It’s no big deal to them,” Raven assured her verbally.

Charles frowned, “What? OH! Did you think I’d be upset about you…” he cleared his throat and tried to find his words. “Getting pregnant before me? No, no. I don’t mind at all. I’d be happy to never have to deal with that.” he gave a self conscious laugh that came out sounding hollow.

Raven and Mystique frowned and held a brief but intense signed conversation.

Now he knew how Erik felt about human non verbal communication. He was clearly missing something very important.

“Leave it, Raven,” Mystique finally said with a sigh. “He’s got enough to deal with already.”

That was true, they were here visiting while waiting for the trial to commence. They were helping settle his nerves before Erik arrived to escort him to the prison ship where the trials would be held.

“Yes, but he deserves to know. I would want to know.” Mystique gave a reluctant nod of agreement. Raven turned to Charles, lips in a thin line. “I thought you and the Admiral were already mated.”

He swallowed thickly, worried about what she was about to tell him, he wasn’t sure how many more secrets his relationship with Erik could withstand. “We are. Erik has assured me that there’s no going back,” he said flatly, hoping it didn’t come across as bitter.

Now she looked slightly confused. “Then how do you know you aren’t already pregnant? Unless you haven’t been…together that way?” she faded out with another blush.

Charles shot Mystique a questioning look but she shyly averted her gaze. “What? We haven’t been, except for once and we were still changing at the time. Had just started too actually,” he clarified.

Raven frowned, setting his heart racing. “From what Hank tells me, that’s more than enough.”

His mind went blank. “What.”

“They-Genoshians- tend to impregnate on the first try. Some biological _thing_ to help them procreate,” she fluttered her hands expressively as she spoke. He couldn’t tell if it was a nervous tick or if she was signing as well.

He felt her sincerity flow through him and looked to Mystique again. “Is this true?”

She bit her lower lip and gave a small nod. “Yes. Usually, but not always,” she rushed to add.

He felt a small swell of hope until Raven chimed in with “Like 98.7% of the time.”

“What?!”

“According to Hank,” Raven gave a helpless shrug.

“Right. So if you only had sex the one time the one night you might not be pregnant,” Mystique said comfortingly.

He paled as he thought back to their marathon lovemaking that night. “Dear God.” The shifters caught his expression and sent him matching worried looks.

“Oh, Charles.”

“Do you want Hank to check you over?” Raven asked sympathetically.

He shook his head, not ready to see hard facts for what he now knew to be true. “After the trial. I just _can’t_ right now,” he said softly, feeling numb at the news.

They moved to sit on either side of him and wrapped him in a double embrace. He closed his eyes and let his mind coast on their waves of concern and soft affection. He never wanted to move again.

~~

Erik walked in on a scene straight out of a nightmare. His Earthlings were in the midst of a shifter pile. At least Albert jumped up and came to him when he walked in. Charles simply looked bleak. He stooped to lift the cat against his chest and rub under his chin to set him rumbling.

“Have you enjoyed your visit?” he asked calmly, deciding to ignore the unnecessary amounts of physical contact his mate was engaging in with two beautiful females.

“Yes. Is it time for the trial to start?” Charles asked distractedly, like he was coming out of a daze. Erik was concerned.

“Soon. We should head over,” he said watchfully. Something was off with Charles, but he couldn't asked in front of company and he doubted it would put Charles in a better mood if he asked their guests to leave.

Erik was suddenly anxious about being in a room full of people with loud minds and emotions. Raven and Mystique shivered and shot him matching glares, clearly not aware that their mental state was being affected by the telepath in their midst. 

He looked directly at his pale, stricken mate, “I have something for you from Dr. McCoy’s team. To help you get through the trials.”

“What is it?” Charles asked listlessly.

He set Albert down and pulled two small silver bracelets out of his pocket. “If you wear these they will dampen your telepathy. ~ _An_ _d contain it to your own mind~_ he added softly, not wanting to let their guests in on their conversation.

Charles’ eyes widened at the news and he eagerly pulled away from the women, allowing Erik to kneel at his feet and clasp the bracelets around his sturdy wrists.

“We’ll see you after, Charles.” Mystique clasped his shoulder affectionately just as her cocoon peeled open to reveal Kurt’s face, looking out at them like an owl from a tree. He mewled, drawling a matching sound from Albert.

Erik had no idea what was going on.

Charles chuckled at the sight and clasped her shoulder as well before doing the same to Raven and showing them out. "Thank you for _everything._ I'll see you after," he whispered meaningfully.

“Are you alright?” Erik asked once they were gone.

“Yes. I think they're already working,” Charles said softly. One hand coming to rest on his belly. He ignored the other meaning in Erik's words.

Erik tilted his head, eyes shifting to deep hazel. “Your bracelets are unique. Made for you alone.”

He immediately perked up in curiosity, eager for a subject other than his mood. “Oh? They’re not a training tool for new telepaths?”

“No. We’ve never had a developed telepath as strong as you. You have the strength of a very powerful born telepath from a species of them.” Charles was floored, “Really? ME?”

“Yes. It’s unprecedented, but there is some speculation that humans may exhibit exceedingly powerful mutations after their change. Agent Munoz for instance is a wonder.”

“A wonder,” Charles echoed softly. Trying not to feel jealous of the amazement in Erik’s tone when he spoke of the handsome agent.

“Yes, and you’re not only powerful, but you’ve manifested an ability unknown to us,” Erik said carefully.

“I-have?”

He nodded, "Not only can you read minds and emotions- usually two separate abilities. You can influence them.”

“...You’re saying I can _mind control people?”_

“Yes.”

“No. that’s...not possible.”

“You’ve done it to me several times, Charles. Though I know it hasn’t been intentional. McCoy confirmed it during your latest levels test. He thought you’d rather hear the news in private." Erik admitted.

“Who else knows?" he asked faintly, sinking back onto the couch.

"Just the three of us. His team thinks you need the bracelets because of your power level.”

Charles felt a prickle of apprehension. “Why are we keeping this a secret?”

“When a new power manifests-which is rare- there is uproar over it. You’ll be a celebrity among Genoshians. With the trials and our mating, I thought you might like to remain a small amount of normalcy where possible.”

He took a deep breath and let it out. Hopefully Erik would continue this trend of increasing emotional intelligence. “Thank you. I...need time to process all this.” he didn't clarify, but hopefully Erik would think he was just referring to the news about his telepathy.

Something flickered in the depths of Erik's mind but was too faint for Charles to see. The bracelets really dampened thoughts, even through their bond. At the moment, it was a huge relief.

“We do need to attend the trials. I believe it will comfort humans to have you all present." Erik frowned, clearly picking up on his distraction and not wanting to stress him further.

Charles sighed and rubbed his temples backwards anxiously. “All?”

“Your team will be in attendance as well; didn’t they discuss this with you?”

They had, it has just slipped his mind with the massive revelations he’d just received. “Of course. We should be on our way." He stood and made his way to the door, waiting for Erik to join him.

They fell into step as they made their way to the bridge to prepare for teleportation. His mind was whirring a thousand miles an hour. He wondered how the trials would go, how the judgments and punishments out be meted out.

If he was, even now, carrying Erik's child.

He put on a stoic front, hoping to appear steady and in control. He knew that all of Earth would be watching and was cognizant of the fact that he needed to set an example for all of humanity.

He pushed his worries to the side and slid a finger under the thin metal of his bracelet, hoping it would serve to keep his thoughts in as well as it kept others out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trial Chapter coming up! Hopefully sometime next week! Send me good vibes for it, it's giving me a hard time! What did you think of this? Let me know any questions you have! Thanks for reading!!xx


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trial!! Answers to many questions!! Charles and Erik have some conversations...

Erik led the way to the teleporter, Charles following closely behind, mind whirring a million miles an hour. He flinched when Erik reached back and clasped his hand in a loose grip.

A frission of tension lit him from within at Erik’s lightest caress. His skin rose in goose bumps, heart racing he tried to hide his trembling physical reaction to his mate.

 _~You have the strength to push past the barrier the bracelets provide, but only with great effort. Don’t strain yourself. You can speak to any one with just a touch~_ Erik pressed lightly into his mind.

Charles’ eyes widened at that _~Thank you. I’m sure I’ll have a lot of questions about the trial~_

_~You’ve read our laws~_

_~As many as I could, but there are a few millennia worth~_ they dropped hands as they made it to the bridge and stepped onto the teleporter.

Erik chuckled at his observation, a low rumble deep in his chest that warmed Charles from within. He wondered if Erik had the ability to impact him from within as well.  
He was desperate to find out more about their bond, about parenthood, about the life he was now bound to lead.

In the next instant they were standing in an empty, steel gray room. It was massive and intimidating, the ceiling shaping a massive dome just above their heads. Charles felt like an ant in the coliseum. He immediately grasped Erik’s hand again.

_~What is this place?~_

_~The prison ship~_

_~I’ve never seen anything like it~_

_~It’s my own design. The entire construction is ferrous metal. I’m in full control of the structure even in the depths of space~_ Charles felt his pride and joy at the Charles’ simple praise.

“It’s amazing,” he said softly.

Erik looked down at him for a long moment, eyes gently shifting shades of blue. Ethereal and beautiful. He held his gaze for a long moment before looking away, unable to express all that he was feeling.

“Would you like to feel it?” Erik offered softly. Charles nodded, knot in his throat as Erik turned to face him and gently linked their fingers. The he felt a faint hum start up in his blood. It grew stronger with each moment until it surrounded and consumed him. Until it was stronger than the very beat of his heart.

Charles pulled away with a gasp, trembling at the force of Erik’s might. He could crush the ship with a clenched fist in a matter of moments.

Erik tilted his head to one side, lips a thin, colorless line. “I meant to reassure you of our safety in spite of the criminals housed here.” He feared that every overture he made pushed Charles further away.

Those bright blue eyes darted to his in shock. “I know I’m safe with you.”

Erik felt the tension in his chest ease at his words. Perhaps there was still a chance for their bond to go well.

Charles pursed his lips and took another look around the massive chamber, “we should go.” Erik inclined his head and led the way

~~

There was a dull roar on the other side of the panel. Erik turned to him and straightened his tie, giving him a searching look, "Alright?" Charles lifted his chin and gave a sharp nod. Erik faced forward and gestured for the panel to open.

The entire room fell silent and stood to attention when they entered. Erik inclined his head slightly and lead the way to a small opera box set to directly over look the courtroom floor. The sudden lack of sound was disorienting and briefly deafening in its own right.

Charles was awed by the sight before him. The courtroom was more of a classical theatre complete with a sunken center and seating for thousands. Each place was filled with Federation Military and upper echelon Genoshian politicians and civilians. He had never imagined so many species existing in the universe. It was a humbling sight.

Charles recognized several world leaders among the crowd, wearing ear pieces that Erik later explained were mechanized translators. His team was seated in the front row wearing what appeared to be full American Military dress uniforms. It comforted him to see them.

Sean caught his eye, looking tenser than Charles had ever seen him. Moira was seated between him and Armando who was flanked on his other side by an unsmiling Captain Summers. Moira sent him a small smile, affecting an air of cool, calm and collected that was surely a façade. He could only hope he came across half as well to the billions of beings he knew were watching.

Charles felt a thousand curious eyes on him like a physical touch creeping over every inch of his skin. He kept his head up and eyes focused on Erik’s broad shoulders as they made their way to their seats.

When they arrived, the stood side by side, waiting in silence with the rest of the room. Charles reached out and squeezed Erik’s hand in thanks for the bracelets. He wouldn’t have missed the trial for anything but had a real concern that this environment would have driven him mad with his telepathy unrestricted.

Erik squeezed back and gestured to the courtroom floor where a small panel opened and three figures in neat white robes stepped out. Their faces were concealed by the depth of their hoods. Charles stood up straight and leaned forwards, nerves jangling with the awareness of being in the presence of other telepaths for the first time.

There was a certain aura of certainly and power about them that had the hairs standing up on the back of his neck. He wondered if they were reading his mind even now, among all the minds in the room, though it seemed unlikely.

The figures took their places on the raised stage at the far end of the court floor, seated equidistant from one another, becoming the focal point of the room. Charles felt more than a little relived to feel the burden of attention lift from his shoulders.

Then a resonant voice filled his mind and echoed through the room. **“Let the trial of these sworn Genoshian citizens commence.”** Erik sat and Charles followed his lead, only then did the rest of the spectators take their seats.

He suddenly thought of Erik’s words the day of the surrender. _‘Your various cultures, your way of life has changed forever. The sooner you come to terms with that, the better.’_ He had been so very right. If only the accused had listened and understood, Earth wouldn’t be in the position they were now.

Erik took his hand once more, but didn’t look away from the stage. Charles realized he was trembling and took a deep breath in an attempt to bring himself under control.

Another panel opened and 183 humans were lead out by a row of guards. The humans were dressed in identical, neatly pressed, maroon uniforms. He felt himself relax as he took in the sight of them, they all appeared to be clean, well dressed and in full health.

That would play well on Earth, that they hadn’t been tortured or mistreated in spite of their accused misdeeds.

Once they were settled in a line, equidistant apart, the voice spoke again, **“The Genoshians before us have been accused of aiding and abetting an enemy force. Knowingly supplying goods, supplies, services, and material goods to a terrorist force that killed 783 independent Genoshian citizens on the day of our newest colony’s induction into the Intergalactic Federation. We will hear their pleas.”**

Suddenly Charles felt a band of power wrap around his mind tightly, drawing his full attention to the judges. He flinched at the feeling and sucked in a surprised breath.

~ _It’s a telepathic/empathic bond that disallows lies and obfuscation~_ Erik explained, as one by one, the accused plead guilty to their crimes, some clearly struggling not to, but unable to resist the pull of honesty.

When the last of them fell silent the voice rang out again. **“The accused before us are sentenced to labor in building the distant colonies. One Federation day for each Genoshian life taken in the attacks. Sentences to begin immediately.”**

Charles was shocked by the sentence; he hadn’t expected that they’d be sent away from Earth or the Fleet. They were leaving now. With no chance to return to Earth, see their loved ones or say their goodbyes. Many of them began to sob after their sentence was announced, and Charles felt a spark of pity deep within his heart. They were escorted from the room by the same guards who’d led them in.

After a moment, another panel opened and 347 humans were led out, dressed in identical, neatly pressed, navy blue uniforms. Charles frowned at the color difference.

~ _They were kept in different portions of the prison, based on the severity of their crimes~_ Erik said softly.

The voice came again. **“The Genoshians before us have been accused of being members of a terrorist force that killed 783 independent Genoshian citizens on the day of our newest colony’s induction into the Intergalactic Federation through the use of political subterfuge, explosive devices, and sabotage of the Anti Aggression Shield. We will hear their pleas.”**

Murderers.

Charles remembered the sight of Sean and Raven bleeding out on the stage. One of those people had shot his friends. He remembered the face of the man who detonated a nuke just feet away from them. They were murderers and without their actions, none of this would be happening, it was hard not to hate them. One by one, the accused plead guilty to their crimes, some spitting the words with angry defiance and still others breaking down in tears.

**“The accused are sentenced to labor in the comet mines. One Federation month for each Genoshian life taken in the attacks.”**

Charles’ jaw dropped. That was insane, they’d all be dead well before then, was that a sentence of hard labor? That’s what he thought the first sentence was!

 _~None of that is hard labor by our standards. No human could survive it. They’ll be fine, Charles. They’ll all survive their punishments~_ Erik assured him

Charles was trying to process that when another panel opened and three humans dressed in neatly pressed, forest green uniforms were led out. Moira flinched at the sight of one of them and mouthed the word Stryker, but made no sound.

The voice rang out. “ **The accused have been interviewed and judged. Their guilt is without question. They will speak their crimes in their own words so that they may face sentencing.”**

Charles tried to focus on the words the men-the masterminds- were speaking, but the buzzing in his ears made it difficult to concentrate. He felt on the verge of collapse.

He looked at Moira who was looking down at her former colleague with a mix of anger and disgust. General Stryker stood alongside another man of similar age, Nathaniel Essex, a well known terrorist leader. And handsome young man who looked to be in his early thirties, Lieutenant Jason Stryker, his son.

The elder Stryker stood tall and spoke the unequivocal truth, his co conspirators followed his lead. Without any emotional explanations or excuses, their crimes felt more visceral and horrific than Charles could have imagined. Stryker and his compatriots confessed to planning, organizing, and executing the attacks. They had budgeted for thousands of dead humans.

They considered them collateral damage.

They spoke of the dead like their lives meant nothing.

The air in the room was thick with loathing for the accused and Charles couldn’t blame them, the men were unrepentant and repugnant in their single minded focus.  
He was on the edge of his seat waiting to hear their sentence for their crimes.

The voice rang out once more. **“The accused are sentenced to consecutive life sentences to be served in separate maximum security facilities. One life sentence of 75 Federation years for each Genoshian life taken in the attacks.”**

Something about that niggled at the back of his mind, but he couldn’t place it at the moment and it hardly seemed important in the face of the real human drama occurring before his very eyes.

The men were led back out of the room, stiff with shock. Charles thought they'd planned to become martyr's for their cause. With that goal destroyed and no hope of returning to Earth, they had nothing. It was a bittersweet realization, one they would all have to learn to live with.

Finally a panel opened and a very tall, muscular male with thick, powder blue braids down his back and glistening crystal skin was led out. He was dressed in a uniform that matched Erik’s but without any of the trimmings.

Charles had never seen such and he looked to Erik in confusion. The other man was frowning deeply, sitting perfectly still and unblinking. _~He’s been stripped of rank. He was one of my men and he betrayed us~_ he said shortly. Charles felt the anger and betrayal underlying those words and laced their fingers tightly in solidarity.

**“The accused, former Joint Chief Engineer of the Northern Fleet stands accused of knowingly and willingly lowering the Anti Aggression Shield leading to hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries on Genoshian soil.**

**He has been interviewed and judged. His guilt is without question. As the only son of his parents, his line will be allowed to continue as his mate already bears his young.**

**He is sentenced to death by incineration for his betrayal of his people and our values. Sentence to be carried out immediately.”**

Erik let out a small breath but otherwise didn’t move.

Charles was horrified. The guards brought Jason Stryker back into the room. He was stone faced and had a brittle look about him. Charles supposed finding out you were going to die alone in an alien prison would do that to anyone.

The crystal man turned to him and spoke in a deep, echoing voice, “Take care of our young. I hope I’ve proved myself worthy of you.”

Jason looked baffled, “Our what?”

Charles felt an entirely unexpected surge of sympathy with the incarcerated young man. Both of them actually. He could practically feel the love the other man felt for Jason radiating off of him.

He wondered how far Erik would have gone to impress him if chaos had been his goal. It didn’t bear thinking about.

“I searched the stars for you, and though our time together was brief, I wouldn’t change anything,” he said softly.

“Brief? Our young? What are you talking about Svelik?” Jason snapped. He was tense as the other man pulled him into a tight embrace and pressed their cheeks together for a long moment. “Remember my sacrifice.”

The guards lead him to the very center of the courtroom floor and stepped back. Nothing happened for several moments, and then a light appeared beneath his feet and slowly began to consume him as it grew in intensity. In its last moments it was so bright that Charles had to shield his eyes.

When he looked up, Svelik was gone from existence, not an atom left of him. Jason gasped, pale and trembling, he looked like he was going to be sick to his stomach. Charles knew the feeling.

The guards helped him from the room with more tenderness than Charles could have imagined _~He's just lost his mate. He'll be afforded every comfort~_ Erik assured him gently.

The voice rang out a final time, **“The trials have concluded. Justice has countered injustice and truth has prevailed.”**

The cloaked figures rose as one and exited the room via the same panel they’d entered through.

Erik helped him to his feet and moved to stand at the very front of the opera box as a receiving line of dignitaries formed to greet them. Fortunately, Charles wasn't expected to do more than smile and nod as Erik performed his duties as host. Erik turned to him during a small pause in the line and pressed hot fingers to the nape of his neck, sending a shiver down his spine _~They'll expect more of you in the future. There's a well known, steep learning curve for joining the Federation. They're all eager to meet the man who captured my eye~_ he quirked his lips in a small smile and turned back to the receiving line.

Charles held a smile and basked in the light of Erik's adoration, it bolstered him when he was weary. He took the time for some much needed introspection into all that occurred, he made a mental list of all he needed to do once they got back to their rooms. He felt like his work as ambassador would never be done.

~~

That thought process is why Erik's request shocked him so deeply. They had just returned to their chambers, Charles was removing his tie when Erik turned to him and said. "There are many Earth customs that I've come to admire. There is one in particular that I've been considering. I think a honeymoon would be good for us."

Charles opened his mouth but said nothing. Erik continued on, watching him closely for a negative reaction. “You showed me your world, let me show you mine. You agreed to give us a chance once this was all over. Will you come with me?”

Charles was shaking, the stress of the past week was finally catching up to him. He was more exhausted than he could ever remember being, but knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. The thought of dealing with his burgeoning powers, his political responsibilities, and an uncertain future of Earth was enough to bring him to his knees. And on top of that he had promised to give them a chance. Which in many ways would be the best thing he could do for Earth and humanity itself, he reasoned.

Erik held his breath, worried that Charles would refuse, would turn his back on the Federation and on Erik and live their lives keeping him at arm’s length as was his right.

He looked up into Erik’s changeable eyes and remembered the bonds of friendship they’d formed over the course of their travels. At the time, he’d had secret daydreams of declarations of love and a future together. Now he had his wish and the chance to turn it away. Charles could refuse. Erik would be disappointed, but he'd allow it. And after all he'd pulled, he deserved it.

Erik said nothing, willing to wait until Charles came to him with open arms, even if that day never came. He had waited this long, he would wait forever.

Charles’ tablet chimed several times in a row with requests for meetings from his team and several Earth governments. He didn’t have the strength to keep going. He’d given his all and it wasn’t enough. It felt like it never would be.

But he was enough for Erik, more than. He was his other half. It was intoxicating to be loved so intensely. To be appreciated for all that he was and all that he had the potential to be.

Just then, his tablet chimed again several times in quick succession. He glanced at the screen then tossed it aside, turning to Erik with a sigh. “Take me away from here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! What did you think? This chapter was complicated, please let me know ifit doesn't make sense or if there are any plot holes or big unaddressed issues you notice and I'll fix them ASAP! Thanks a million!!xx


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys get ready to go on their trip! Political unrest! Albert being adorable!

Charles ran his finger beneath the cool metal of his bracelet absently. The man sitting across from him Would. Not. Stop. Talking. One would think the overarching awe of being on a real live alien spacecraft would give him a moment’s pause.

No such luck.

Charles was growing more grateful for the bracelets with each passing minute. He suppressed a sigh and cut into the man’s monologue as politely as he could manage, “As I’ve explained, the terrorists have already left to serve their sentences. There is nothing to be done about that.”

“Mr. Xavier, some of those people are Polish citizens. We have the right to deal with them as we see fit. We demand their immediate return. We never agreed to-”

“ _Except that you did_. We _all_ did. Just a few weeks ago, in fact, when the Earth surrendered and was inducted into the Intergalactic Federation. We agreed to live by their rules and this is what that looks like!” he snapped. He’d been having this conversation for hours with different people from around the world. All his meetings had been the same refrain. None of them wanted to accept the reality of the situation and it was driving him up the wall.

The man looked taken aback by his sharp tone. “I didn’t mean any insult, ambassador. I know you’ve spoken with the representatives of many other nations on this and similar matters. I do hope we’re all receiving the same consideration as America and the United Kingdom,” he said carefully, watching Charles like a hawk.

He barely suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. “Of course you are. No country will have its citizens returned until their sentences are served in full.”

The man, whose name Charles couldn’t remember for the life of him, continued. “We have lawyers searching their law codes for the rights to appeal and-”

“You won’t find them. That’s not how the Federation works.”

“We intend to take this to the highest level. My government will not rest until our citizens are returned to face justice under the laws of our land.” He said as though Charles hadn’t spoken.

Charles pursed his lips, counting the minutes until he could send this man on his way. This was his last appointment before their trip and he was eager to be done. “I _am_ your highest appeal and I’m telling you to accept your situation and _move on_. We are all Genoshians now. We are all Federation members now. There are new laws we must abide by.” He now understood why Erik had wanted him to refuse these meetings out of hand. They were a colossal waste of time, no one was listening. 

The other man was incensed; Charles could feel the pressure of it even with the barrier of his bracelets. “We humans do not accept that. We still hope to achieve a fully autonomous Earth within our lifetimes,” he said stiffly.

Charles was reluctantly impressed by his honesty. He knew there was still a lot of bitterness on the side of humanity even with the vast improvements in quality of life that had been immediately felt since their induction with more to come each day. He supposed that was to be expected.

“Given time I hope we will all learn to accept our new situation,” he said as diplomatically as possible.

 _“Our?”_ the other man sneered. “You’re hardly one of _us_ anymore.”

Charles sighed, head pounding from the stress of the past few days. He had heard that and worse about him from media all over earth. It was the first it had been said to his face, but he supposed it was best to get used to it. “You’re excused.” He said shortly.

The other man cut a brief bow and strode out of the room, heels clicking angrily on the floor.

Charles sighed and closed his eyes for a long while, eager to be on their way.

~~

“You can’t go.” Moira was stunned at the prospect. He had called an emergency meeting with her after his ambassadorial duties were completed for the day. He wanted to tell her the news in person, though he still felt guilty for the short notice.

Thankfully she was stationed in one of the few rooms he could find without assistance. The last thing he needed was Erik hovering while he tried to make her understand his need for a break.

“Moira-”

“ _Charles_. Did you see what I saw yesterday? _Hundreds_ of humans have been cast into the depths of space! They killed one of their own in front of us! Lord only knows what’s actually happening on Earth or anywhere in the Federation for that matter and you want to just _leave?!”_

“Eri-The Admiral has many duties, not just to Earth. Yes, I’m the ambassador but I’m also his consort,” he stated calmly.

She pressed her lips together tightly and sucked in a deep breath. “This is the height of irresponsibility. You owe it to Earth-”

After thanklessly dealing with Earth and its troubles for yet another day, that set him off. “And what does Earth owe me?! Thanks to me we’re in the position we’re in! Which is pretty damn good considering what happened just a few days ago! And what thanks do I get? They call me a whore! They brand me a traitor! I can never live there again! I’m sure the A.A.S level would never get lowered from all the attacks on me alone!” he ranted.

“You don’t know that! You’re the one always saying to give them time! Well, practice what you preach!” she fired back hotly.

“Oh, be honest with yourself! None of us can ever go home again!”

Moira flinched at his words, hoping they weren’t true but fearing he was right.

Charles sighed and ran his fingers through his hair agitatedly. “It’s too much. I can’t go on like this, I need a break or I swear I’ll snap and you’ll all have to deal with Erik on your own. There’s nothing more I can do here anyway. At least not right now. I’ll be in touch, you can contact me any time, I promise. No one on Earth even needs to know we’re gone,” he said shakily.

Moira sighed and paced to the window, looking out over the crest of the Earth in silence for long moments while they both calmed down. “Okay. You’re right, I’m sorry. Sometimes I forget you’re not an agent. You weren’t trained on dealing with stress like this and depending on your team the way you’ve had to. And the telepathy…I’m your lead and I’ve failed you in this. I should have insisted you take a break before now. I’m sorry for that.”

Charles swallowed thickly, touched that she took his well being so personally. “Thank you. I don’t hold it against you; it’s been a mad week. And month before that.”  
She nodded, “We’ll be here when you get back and we’ll send you updates every day.”

“Earth day or Federation day?” he joked weakly.

She rolled her eyes and pulled him into a hug, “Stay safe or I’ll never forgive myself for bringing you into this.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be alright,” he promised softly.

He took his leave of her before he gave in to his overwrought emotions and broke down in tears.  
~~

Charles!” he looked up to see Agent Cassidy approaching him with his typical sunny smile.

“Sean, heading in to see Moira?”

“Yeah, she debriefs us every day. ‘Mondo should be on his way now, we should have a few minutes” he blushed slightly and glanced at the panel Charles had just exited.  
For a moment he almost wished for his telepathy to be unleashed so he could confirm his thoughts on what put that look on the young man’s face.

“She’s going to tell you I’m leaving,” he admitted warily, worried about the agent’s reaction. “The Admiral is taking me on a short tour of parts of the Federation.”

Sean’s eyes widened and he rocked back on his heels. “Dude! That’s awesome!” he slapped Charles on the shoulder and broke into a toothy grin.

He felt inexplicably relieved to have some real support for this trip. “Really?”

“Yeah! Go have your WALL-E adventure and don’t come home until you fall in love,” he said jovially. Charles gave him a quizzical look. “I mean it, if you’re stuck with him, you may as well make the best of it. Just, give it a try,” Sean implored him.

“Alright, I will.” He promised with a tired smile. He bid him farewell before heading back to their chambers to get ready for their trip, Sean’s advice ringing in his ears all the way.

~~

Erik exhaled silently and flicked the small laser at the wall sending Albert into another fit. He had passed off his duties to Azazel once more and felt sure that things would continue to run smoothly in his absence.

It was normal for Admirals to take good will tours periodically and creating a new colony or taking a mate was the perfect opportunity. He hoped Charles would enjoy himself. He hoped there was a chance for them to find happiness together. Before now, finding his mate had been his reason for existing. From this point on, forming a strong bond with him would bring meaning to his life.

Easier said than done. Every species had different mating rituals and Earth had some of the most bizarre and complex he had ever studied. He hoped to put all his research to good use while on their tour.

“Wish me luck with your papa,” he told Albert who responded by hopping onto his lap and snuggling into his warmth. Erik ran his fingers through his soft fur and waited patiently for his mate to return. Ready for their mated life to truly begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any scenes you'd like to see in space? Notice any plot holes? Questions or concerns? Comment below, let me know! Thanks for reading! xx


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their outer space adventure begins! 
> 
> Warning! Handwavey science from someone whose favorite science fiction shows are Red Dwarf and Battlestar Galactica!

Armando was on the moon. On the literal moon.

It was mind blowing. His mind was blown. He had the stupid idea that he wished he could send a picture to his mother. She’d never let any of her sisters live it down. Her son, Federal Agent and astronaut.

“How do you like it?” Alex asked through their headsets. He didn’t know how the technology worked but there was no tinny echo, just his voice which rolled through  
Armando in a warm wave.

“I love it. Thank you for bringing me here,” he said honestly.

“Of course. I have so much to show you,” Alex gave a wide smile and gestured to the depths of space. Armando had to admit it was an intriguing prospect but, “I have work.” He hoped he didn’t sound as glum about it as he felt.

Alex shrugged that off, “Of course you do and I would never take you from it. We have time. I mean, I’d love to take you for a tour right now. It’s hardly fair that the admiral could take his mate away and you’re left to handle Earth’s business. But I get it. Someday I’ll be an admiral and we’ll call all the shots,” he said confidently, slinging an arm around his shoulders companionably as they looked out over the curve of the Earth.

Armando didn’t know what to say to that. The thought of being in Charles’ shoes made him feel a bit queasy. “He has more duties than Earth as an Admirals consort.”

Alex smiled comfortingly, “You’ll be a great ambassador. I mean that’s what you will be when we rejoin the main fleet.”

“Ambassador? The main fleet?”

“Yeah, this is just under a fifth of our ships. We only converge in clusters like this for war or induction. That said, once we’re out on duty you’ll be the first human most  
Genoshians will ever meet. Don’t worry, that’s not for a while yet and you’re a natural.”

Armando didn’t know what to say to that. They’d been surviving day to day and he hadn’t really considered what the future held for him personally as a captain’s mate. “Oh.”

“Come on, let’s play. I haven’t had a proper day off in ages!” Alex fiddled with the dials on their suits and suddenly there was less gravity and the moon was their bounce house.

Armando leapt just for the thrill of it and felt like never coming down. What had he gotten himself into?

~~

Erik reviewed his notes while Charles was sleeping. He heard scratching at the bedroom portal and hurried to let Albert out before he began yowling and woke Charles.

The cat stalked past him and grumbled at his empty water bowl. Erik filled it for him and set out some wet food. Thus pacified Albert allowed him to return to his studies.

Erik could only hope his research into human mating rituals hadn’t led him astray. Most humans were heterosexual and pair bonded with members of the opposite sex for partnership, procreation, and the rearing of children. He understood that, but he also understood that though Charles was likely carrying his child- and he needed to find a time to bring that up- his mate was not female.

Fortunately there seemed to be a lot of crossover between the genders and what constituted love and romance to humans in general.

He only wished he had an expert to ask but Charles’ team were the only humans he knew personally and they would surely run and tell his mate of his plans before he could even begin. And he somehow doubted Charles would be alright with him abducting a ‘matchmaker’ or ‘dating coach’ for him to interrogate.

No, he had to do this on his own.

Fortunately, finding a mate and falling in love seemed to be the highest priority in life for most humans so there was ample information available on the phenomenon.

Unfortunately, it seemed to be difficult for humans to manage even in their later years and much of the advice he found was contradictory.

Apparently he needed

To be attentive but know when to make himself scarce.

To be sensitive and emotional but not appear weak.

To be on good terms with his prospective mates family and friends (unfortunately it seemed that ship had sailed). He needed to be confident.

To be a good listener but not secretive.

To talk about himself but not be self centered and

Be passionate but not overly enthusiastic.

Erik sighed and closed his eyes, mind whirring with all he’d learned. Perhaps there was something to be gleaned from art rather than articles on the subject.

He thought back to the films they’d watched on their journeys around Earth. They had gotten through many of Charles’ favorites and love seemed to be a theme in each of them on some level.

The Notebook, Roman Holiday, Moulin Rouge, Pacific Rim, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Titanic, Pretty Woman, Shakespeare in Love, About Time, The Princess Bride, West Side Story, 500 Days of Summer, Armageddon.

That concerning. In several of the films, the protagonists didn’t end up together. What did that say about human love? What did that say about Charles’ expectations of their arrangement? There was no end to this, no way out except death which was a far off prospect.

Did Charles feel trapped? He’d said that Erik had lied to him, he’d been furious about it only days prior.

Erik frowned, there had to be some way to use this time to win Charles over, he wanted his mate to see their bond as a net positive for his life, not as the shackles of slavery.

He had more research to do, but not on humans in general. After all, Charles was special, one of a kind. The process of winning him over would have to be just as unique as his mate.

~~

Charles was nervous. His conversation with Erik where he promised to give them a chance kept running through his mind. Now, with Sean’s advice on top of it, he had to honestly consider whether or not he could open his heart to Erik.

He had been more than halfway in love with the other man by the end of their month long journey around Earth, but that was before all the revelations about their future and the very nature of reality came to light.

Now he felt uneasy, like he was living with a stranger with a familiar face. It was unsettling. “What do you think I should do?” he asked Albert who was curled up next to him on the massive bed.

Erik had been unwilling to leave the little cat behind this time and had lovingly cradled him in his arms as they made their way through the flagship to his private vessel in the launching dock.

The ship was a sleek, black disk that looked so much like a stereotypical UFO that Charles had to laugh. Erik had explained that its shape and color served as natural cloaking in a hostile universe. It was a sobering thought.

There were few rooms inside and the walls could be shaped and remade to make as many or as few as they liked. Charles had spent a good while setting up a comfortable room for himself and Albert while Erik steered them out of the flagship and into space. He had then given Charles a brief rundown of the ships operations and left him to his own devices.

Which had led him here, talking things out with a disinterested feline.

He would worry that the cat was becoming spoiled, but he didn’t think that was possible. Albert blinked at him and began grooming his paws idly.

“Oh, you’re no help,” Charles groused. He was in here resting on Erik’s suggestion. It was nice to have a few moments to himself without the press of any minds other than Erik’s. He didn’t even need his bracelets out here in the void of space.

On Hank’s suggestion, he had taken a light sedative and slept for nearly ten hours. It was wonderful, he felt rejuvenated already. When he woke, he wasn’t even groggy and had enjoyed a hot, refreshing shower before getting changed and settling in to play with Albert.

So far it was a great start to his vacation, if only he could bring himself to truly let down his guard around his suddenly taciturn mate.

He hadn’t seen Erik since he woke up. He could feel his mind, never more than a room away, clicking along calmly like a pleasant white noise.

“I should talk to him,” he said softly. Albert mewled and tucked his head down for a nap.

“Really no help at all.”

~~

Erik was anxious, Charles had taken his advice to heart and had been resting for the better part of the day, but at some point they were going to have to talk. This was the rest of their lives and he didn’t want to botch it.

“Erik?” he looked up from his three dimensional star chart to see his beautiful mate looking at him from the panel entrance.

“Charles, I hope you’re feeling refreshed.” He said solicitously, hoping he seemed sincere but not overbearing.

He gave a crooked smile, “Thank you, I am.”

Erik was relieved. “I’m glad to hear it.” They fell into an awkward silence as Charles stepped into the room and began to look around.

“What are you doing?” he asked after a long while that he spent fiddling with various unknown instruments strewn around the counters.

“Checking our star chart for errors,” he said softly.

“Can the computer make errors?” Charles asked curiously, moving to stand across the table from him and take in the miniature galaxy projected.

“It rarely happens anymore, but any officer worth the title takes the time to check.”

“Ah. Well. Any errors?” he asked awkwardly.

“None yet, would you like me to show you how to check?” he offered, fingers aching to touch Charles even if just for a moment. He kept himself in check, not wanting to  
seem clingy.

“Sure, it looks fascinating,” he eagerly stepped to Erik’s side when he gestured for him.

Erik stepped aside and showed him how to run the program and check the calculations line by line factoring the size and gravitational pull of the heavenly bodies they passed. Charles was a quick study and asked probing questions about the programs and calculations used.

Erik had found an in.

His little ambassador had been a science professor at an esteemed university, the pull of knowledge was something they shared in spades.

“You’re very clever,” he said after long minutes of Charles checking lines of code in his own.

The smaller man blushed and glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “Thank you. This is the most fun I’ve had in ages,” he gave a self deprecating laugh.

Erik tilted his head to one side, “That’s good. Your curiosity will stand you in good stead in the Federation. When you’re more accustomed to your implants, you should take some classes in Virilleen.”

“What’s Virilleen? A language?”

“Yes, but it’s also the greatest science university in the Federation. You could gain your credentials in any field you choose.”

Charles’ eyes widened and he smiled widely. “Really? I’d love that! But wait, are you sure? I mean, I’m sure what little science we’ve discovered on Earth pales in comparison to the work Federation scientists are doing,” he said self consciously, though he couldn’t hide the eagerness in his voice

“It’s not too complicated for you to learn with a bit of study. You should start at a lower level, junior classes perhaps, and work your way up. I’m sure you’ll be calculating the pull of wormholes in no time.”

“Wormholes?” Charles asked brightly, leaning into Erik’s space without hesitation. “You’ve found wormholes?”

“Of course, how else would we travel between galaxies?” Erik asked, going for a teasing tone but not sure how well that came across.

Charles was taken aback by the question, “I-I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it.”

Erik quirked his lips in a smile, “Open your mind Charles. Anything you imagine is possible. We’ll find you a tutor-maybe even Hank. And he can get you up to speed in no time.”

He hated to offer more time with his lead science officer, what with the way they hit it off and how lost they became in conversation with one another, but he wanted his mate to make friends and feel at home in the fleet. Besides, he didn’t want to seem overly possessive.

“I would hate to take him away from his work,” Charles hedged. “He’s probably busy curing cancer or something. I’d feel silly asking him to teach me the next level of physics.”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. He’s talked of becoming a professor when he retires from military service. We can ask him for tutor suggestions then, and he can oversee your overall progress.”

Charles’ cheeks were apple red by this point and he was practically bouncing in place. “Wonderful. Thank you, Erik.” He gazed up into his eyes and squeezed his hand tightly. Erik would have been happy to stay like that for hours, but he simply smiled and looked away. “Let’s finish checking these charts and I’ll show you how to operate the FTL drive.”

Charles gasped“…you don’t mean..? _You fold space-time?!”_

Erik was deeply amused, by his reaction “The drive does, yes. That’s why our charts are so vital. We don’t want to jump into the middle of an asteroid belt or radiation storm.” To name some of the more positive possible outcomes.

Charles was awed, “No, no of course we don’t. Oh my god.” He laughed bright and incredulous. “Erik! This is unreal. Don’t wake me, I’m dreaming!”

He looked happier than Erik had ever seen him, and he hadn’t even seen their itinerary yet. So far things were going even better than he’d hoped.

~~

Charles was lounging in the holoroom, reading a beginners treatise on advanced calculus. He set his tablet aside to watch the sun set over the coast of Fiji. He felt like he was back home on Earth just relaxing in the sand. It was bliss.

Erik stepped into the room and sank down next to him silently. They watched the stars wink into view one by one as the moon rose in the artificial sky.

After a long while he turned to Erik and quirked an eyebrow, “Yes?”

“Dinner is ready. I can bring it to you here if you like.” He said smoothly, no preference one way or the other.

“No, no. I’ve been here long enough. I’ll get cleaned up and join you in a few.”

Erik nodded and stood in a graceful motion before turning and leaving the room without another word and without looking back.

Charles was somewhat irked by this.

He and Erik had spent hours together the day before. Erik had taught him about star charts and the FTL drive, but the other man had been distant in a way he never had been before.

Charles had expected to be the full center of Erik’s attention for the duration of this tour; instead the other man had kept to himself since they’d left the flagship. He hadn’t sought Charles out or initiated any physical contact. He hadn’t even joined him to sleep the past couple of nights.

It was disconcerting. Nice on one hand to have some much needed space and upsetting on the other because at some point he had apparently come to enjoy Erik’s devoted attention.

He sighed, irritated with himself for his indecision. “Get it together, Charles.” He went to go wash up while trying to decide what he really wanted out of this situation.

~~

Erik thought his plan was working. They were preparing for their first jump and Charles was his eager assistant.

He had made a point of being an attentive ear when his mate was present and had made it his mission to answer each of Charles’ questions as fully as possible, but hadn’t pressed his presence or attentions on the other man or volunteered any information.

He felt his eyes on him and sensed his impatience but carried on as he was. “Ready?”

“Yes, the drive is fully charged,” Charles said, voice shaking with excitement and nerves.

Erik stepped to his side and quickly checked his work. Everything was in order. “Excellent. Prepare for jump.” Charles grasped his arm and sucked in a deep breath. Erik hit the switch and they were off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? Anything you'd like to see? Questions, comments, or concerns? Let me know! Thanks for reading!xx


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles and Erik have an adventure! Dramatic occurrences! Drama on the horizon!

Thus far, their travels had taken them to scenes straight out of a textbook. Charles had never been overly enamored with outer space, though he had delighted in the discoveries of Earths space programs along with everyone else. This was different. This was tangible.

Erik showed him a wide assortment of planets with year lengths ranging from less than two days to over five years.

They visited, though couldn’t land on, the surface of a planet hotter than many stars. It skimmed the surface of its sun and was superheated by radioactive particles.

“We can visit if you like, but we’ll need special gear,” Erik said as they clung to the outer atmosphere of the fast moving gas giant.

Charles shook his head, amazed with what he was seeing. “No. I mean, maybe some other time.” he fidgeted with his bracelets self consciously. He’d started wearing them again, worried that his telepathy would act on his private desires and seek Erik’s mind to draw them together.

Erik had agreed with a nod.

Then they were off on another jump. The drive only needed ten minutes to charge, but they stayed at each jump point for at least the length of a Federation day. Erik took the time to show Charles how to create a log of their journey and upload it to the mainframe at the end of each jump.

It was plainly fascinating.

They skirted the edge of a massive asteroid belt and coasted past a cloud of radioactive debris that stretched on for light years. Its iridescent glow was visible from two separate jump points.

They flew through the neon aura of a boiling atmosphere raining molten glass. They skimmed over seas of mercury with massive shadows shifting beneath the heavy waves.

Erik took them to the orbit of three planets with massive overlapping ring systems just as the suns in their solar system began to set. The sight was breathtaking. Indescribable. Charles was moved to tears that he didn’t bother to hide.

He reached out tentatively and brushed his fingers against Erik’s as they sat side by side on the viewing deck. Neither man pulled away.

They jumped to a floating ocean deep in space. It contained more water than existed on Earth. It was amazing, unreal. So worth the mating, he thought disloyally as they toured the galaxy.

More than worth it.

Erik taught him the basics of piloting their small craft and gave him free reign when they were in deep space in no danger of hitting anything. Charles felt like a great explorer, though he wondered if Genoshians learned to pilot these as teens the humans did with cars.

He laughed at the thought and sped along through the great cold silence, the first of this kind.

~~

“You can’t send him those!” Sean insisted, incredulous.

Moira raised an eyebrow at him. “He needs to stay updated on what’s going on here.”

“Come on Moira! He’s on vacation, what would you want to read about on your honeymoon?” he blushed as he got to the last word and wouldn’t meet her eyes.

She sighed, he was a sweet kid and me might be on to something. He leapt on her perceived hesitation. “Just send him the sketches; he doesn’t need the whole picture. These are the first days of the rest of his life; let’s not ruin them anymore than they already have been.”

He made some good points, and if she was honest with herself, she wasn’t objective when it came to him. “Alright. Help me narrow this down.” She hid a smile as he fist pumped the air.

He was a good man.

~~

Though Charles had been practicing with his aural implants and researching other species and their cultures, he had shied away from actually interacting with new creatures.

At first this had concerned Erik until he realized that Charles felt the weight of his world on his shoulders. He was no longer Erik’s ambassador to Earth, he was Earth’s ambassador to the Federation and it was a daunting task.

He decided to make it easier on his erstwhile mate and set something up for him to help get over his nerves. He knew just the place.

~~

“I hate getting these reports,” Charles griped as he skimmed the data points Moira had gathered and sent to him. There were very few items which was unlike her. So either she was taking this vacation thing seriously or she had no good news to report.

He was betting on the latter.

Erik looked up from his own tablet and locked him in an unblinking gaze. “What is it?”

“I’m a pariah and I’ve dragged my whole team down with me,” he flipped his tablet off tossed it aside irritably.

Erik tried to think of what to say. His plan had been working well so far, Charles had begun to seek out his company most days and was now opening up to him about his personal frustrations.

Unfortunately, those frustrations stemmed from Erik’s presence in his life.

Charles turned to look at him, a small frown creasing his delicate brow. Erik surmised he was taking too long to answer. He decided to try and use some human psychology.

“You’re saying your people have rejected you because of your relationship to myself and the Federation.” He said flatly.

Charles nodded, frown growing deeper, “Yes, exactly! I hate it! What was I supposed to do? What were any of us supposed to do? Refuse to surrender?” he huffed like it was an absurd prospect.

Even now, in the face of the full rejection of his people, he valued their lives above his own happiness. Erik gave his small smile, “You’re too brave for that. its easy to say what you might have done when you’ll never be in that situation.”

Charles looked away but a pleased flush crept up his cheeks. “I shouldn’t judge them, they’re living under the governors daily and I don’t know that it’s like for them.”

Erik couldn’t care less, but knew better than to say that. “Frustrating I’m sure. They feel safe venting about you and your…" _Team? Coworkers? Associates?…_ "Friends rather than about us. The invaders. I think that’s a sure sign that they still see you all as part of them.”

He felt a faint gleam of hope light the corns of his mind. Charles gave him a tiny smile, “Thanks for trying, but I doubt I’ll ever be able to go home again. Not really,” he said softly.

“We can visit anytime you like. I can promise no harm will come to you on your home planet,” Erik said sincerely, seeing how important it was to his mate. “Though of course I hope you will come to see the Flagship as your home. Or we can choose any planet you like to settle on.”

Charles gave a small nod and ran his fingers through his hair before turning to look out the window without another word.

Erik wondered if it would be too much to go to his side and offer physical comfort, but didn’t want to push his luck. Besides, with his physical changes complete, hiding his physical reaction and…need for his mate had become impossible over extended periods of time.

He hadn’t even been able to sleep next to him any longer.

That had worked for his plan to let Charles come to him. Unfortunately it had also caused a strain in their bond and a certain tension the he didn’t fully understand to develop between them.

Each time they touched a spark lit within him, one that he couldn’t suppress. Those sparks had now burst into a conflagration out of all control. At odd, inconvenient moments, his mind was drawn back to the night he first brought Charles to his ship before everything went wrong.

The night Charles seduced him and changed him forever.

He was apt to lose himself in fantasies of his mate in ways he had never anticipated. He’d have thought he was losing his mind if sexual intercourse didn’t permeate every facet of human behavior that he’d ever researched.

He settled for pretending to read Azazel’s report on his tablet and watching his mate from afar. He was coming to him, slowly but surely.

Erik just hoped he could wait him out and that his dreams wouldn’t call to Charles’ mind and reveal the depth of his physical need for the other man.

The only thing that gave him any comfort was the thought that, since Charles had once seduced him, he may still feel these urges, and even stronger than Erik did, considering he was fully human.

He felt Charles’ affection glimmer in his mind for a brief moment before the smaller man stood and left the room, walking past him to place a hand lightly on his shoulder as he went.

Erik sighed and shifted uncomfortably in his seat hoping that Charles warmed to him soon.

~~

Charles was being shown off for lack of a better term. He was reluctantly flattered. They were on one of the more heavily populated asteroids in this quadrant and Erik had planned this intimate setting for his introduction into Genoshian society.

It served the purpose of introducing him to many new species and people but didn’t overwhelm him because their numbers were so few. Those invitees were preening and practically falling all over themselves to make his acquaintance and stay in Erik’s good graces.

It was nice.

Erik had taken him to several planets uninhabited and even disparate parts of his fleet. And how humbling to realize that the numerous ships orbiting Earth weren’t even half the ships under his command.

He had really mated up in the universe.

“Sir?” a stocky, diminutive, aubergine Genoshian caught his attention nervously. His head just barely reached Charles’ shoulder when in his military boots. His voice was incongruously deep, a barely audible rumble that Charles felt more than heard.

“Yes?” he asked brightly, well aware that he was the first human any of these Genoshians had ever met and wanting to make a good impression.

“Would you like a drink?” he asked, offering Charles a shimmering crystal liquid in a cup so thin the liquid appeared to be floating on air.

“Yes,” he smiled and took a sip of the surprisingly bitter brew. He winced at the taste. “Thank you.”

“I am Genlen,” he inclined his head sharply.

“Charles Xavier,” he said redundantly. This entire shindig was for his benefit, everyone knew his name.

“I am an explorer and have traveled two galaxies on exploratory missions for the Federation.”

Charles’ interest was piqued. “Really?”

“Yes. My crew added your solar system to our maps,” he said proudly.

“You did?”

“Yes. I didn’t expect to meet a human for a very long time. This is a very pleasant surprise. When I heard about this event, I added a week to out layover here just to meetvyou.”

Charles didn’t know what to say to that, “I’m pleased to meet you.”

Genlen shifted his shoulders and rocked on his heels. “I was horrified to hear about your induction day ceremony. I felt guilty.

Perhaps you should have been given longer to evolve before we inducted you, but there was a real concern that you all would kill each other off without intervention.”

Charles frowned “How do you decide that?”

“We run predictive computer simulations. I can send them to your tablet if you’d like to review?”

“Thank you Genlen, I’d like that,” Charles said honestly.

“Of course, Xavier.”

Charles laughed, “Its Charles. Xavier is my family name.”

“But Xavier is a given name?”

“Usually yes. It’s complicated,” Charles shrugged apologetically.

Genlen hissed lowly and agreed, “These things often are. You know, I feel a bit like a matchmaker for you and the Admiral,” he confessed.

“Why is that?”

“I suggested the Northern Fleet for Earth. He has a harsh reputation but when we run predictive computer simulations he has the best record of non lethal inductions for hostile species. He has some of the best returns of any Admiral in Federation history. I am happy to have played my small part in helping you find your mates.”

Charles’ mind was whirring with this new information. “Non lethal?”

“Yes. The Tribunal deals with criminals, but Admirals have final say over planets, especially their personal declared colonies. In the eyes of many Genoshians, he would have been justified in killing the entire ethnic groups of any of the involved terrorists,” he said matter of factly. “But the Admiral would never do that. He values life too highly.”

“I thought all Genoshians value life highly?”

“We do. But there are some that believe in what humans call ‘bad blood’ and think that those with it should be eradicated before they can harm others.”

“Are there any Admirals who believe in that?”

Genlen hesitated for a heartbeat. “Admiral Shaw claims to, but I disbelieve him.”

Charles’ senses went on full alert at the mention of that name “Why don’t you think he’s telling the truth?”

“He has been rejected by his mother’s peoples for that very reason,” he watched Charles closely and seemed relieved that he already knew of Shaw’s past.

“Even with that attitude, he feels superior to other Derrians. Possibly to all Genoshians. He hid behind those beliefs to excuse his overly violent incursions in his youth.

He has moved past that, but still has some of the highest rates of violence of any Admiral the Federation has ever known. He has been investigated and cited for allowing violence to escalate to a point that it requires a harsh response. My team does not recommend him for new colonies.” He concluded flatly.

“Are we anywhere near his fleet?”

“His fleet? No. Him? Perhaps. He is known for taking his personal craft out regularly. It is equipped with two FTL drives so he can be anywhere in the Federation at any time. Charles frowned, “Why two?”

“In case he needs to make quick, successive jumps. It’s rare for ships to have them, but it is a security feature when traveling away from the security of a fleet or Genoshian Space. All exploratory vessels, like mine, are so equipped.”

That couldn’t be right; Erik would never take risks with his safety. “Our ship isn’t.”

“You all have never left the security of Genoshian space and have never been more than one jump from a segment of the Northern fleet,” he assured Charles. He relaxed as Genlen continued. “There have been questions about what Shaw get’s up to in deep space. Exploration is not the work of Admirals.”

“Of course,” Charles said, then hesitated. “Can I ask you, off the record?” Genlen nodded. “Are there rumors about…my mate and Shaw?”

He hissed lowly, “Several. Not only are they brothers promoted one after another, one is a forbidden child. It’s all quite dramatic. Many Genoshians feel for Shaw, his clear admiration and imitation of his elder brother is seen as a way to make up for the sins of his father.”

That was concerning. “Do you think he admires Erik?”

He hesitated for a moment and stepped closer to Charles, “I think it has moved past admiration, but that’s just my impression,” he clarified quickly.

Their conversation ended soon after, leaving Charles with a sick feeling in his stomach at the thought of what Shaw could be up to out there.

He had a terrible feeling that they’d find out soon enough.

~~

Erik steeled himself for the conversation ahead. He had the ship announce him, though the portal was open and Charles was reading his tablet on the chaise, Albert cuddled to one side. He hated to ruin the moment but he had put this off for far too long already.“Charles, can I have a moment of your time?”

“Of course, what is it?” he set his tablet aside and gave Erik a warm look.

He tried to remember to blink. “I realized that over the rush of our mating and the changes to our biology that I never asked how you feel about having children of our own. I assumed since you love children and value them that you would want a family of your own. I should have made things clear before we consummated our relationship. I’m sorry that I didn’t.” he said honestly but stiffly.

Charles seemed surprised by the subject matter and took a moment to gather his thoughts. “I never really thought about it. I just thought life would work itself out. If I ever fell in love I’d get married and maybe we’d adopt some kids if we wanted to. I’m still young for a human male, that…drive to procreate hasn’t hit me yet.” He admitted honestly.

Erik felt like a monster from one of Earth’s films, wreaking havoc on a young man’s life. He pressed ahead. “I’m sorry, Charles. I don’t know if you’re aware that there’s a very high chance that you’re already pregnant.”

The smaller man was already nodding before he finished speaking, “I know. I’ve been trying to come to terms with it and trying to find the right words to ask you about it.”

“I’m sorry. We can find out right now if you like? Just so we can know for sure.”

Charles sucked in a deep breath and nodded. “I think we should. We need to know.”

Erik nodded grimly and took out a small med kit, taking a tiny sheet that looked like a black wine chaser and sticking it to the inside of Charles’ wrist. It slowly began to fade and they watched it for long moments.

“How do you feel about it?” Charles asked quietly while they waited for the test to complete.

Erik shrugged, “I’m not young and even when I was I had the overwhelming drive to find my mate and procreate. I have wondered if I’ll want more children or if I’ll be content with one. Everyone is different.”

“Your parents?”

“My mother of course only ever wanted one; my father seems pleased to have me as a son. Neither of them ever mentioned anything about fostering other children before or after the Shaw incident. Perhaps they would have been willing, but it would look worse that they rejected him then took in another child.”

That made sense.

“What brought this on? Why are you telling me this now?” Charles began to fidget; the test was fading from navy blue.

Erik sighed, “You have the right to know what’s happening in your own body. I’m sorry it took me so long to work up the nerve. I didn’t want to ruin our bond before it had a chance to take with you. Then I realized that I was doing that by withholding information from you. I’m sorry, Charles. Maybe it’s the human in me but love is making me irrational.” He said grimly.

“That sounds about right,” Charles gave a weak laugh, glancing down at his wrist to see it painted a pale, shimmering orange. “What does that mean?”

Erik grasped his fingers firmly, “That you’re free of me if you want to be.” He said simply.

Charles didn’t know what to make of that. “What do you mean?”

“It’s positive.” Erik explained.

Charles had long suspected, but was still uncertain of their standing. “But our bond is unbreakable?”

“Yes. We will always be connected through our child and our bond but by bearing me a child you have no more duty to us.” He said softly, still stroking Charles’ hand like he would never get another chance.

Perhaps he wouldn’t, Charles hadn’t decided yet. The test was positive; he was going to have a child.

They were going to be parents.

“If you want to live separately you can. I’ll give you your own suite of rooms on the flagship. You can continue your studies and only see me when you choose.” Erik continued smoothly, eyes shifting to a crisp green.

“Erik…I…” he didn’t know what to say.

He gazed at him steadily, saying nothing for a long time, “Take your time, this is big news. There’s no hurry. We can make an appointment with a doctor as soon as you like,” he assured him warmly.

Charles startled at the mention of a doctor. Of course, prenatal care. “Alright, the next time we’re with the fleet, then.” He said, happy to know for sure but also terrified to have it confirmed.

His baby. Their child. Their future that he had far more say in that expected. It was a nice thought.

Erik squeezed his hand. Charles squeezed back.

~~

“Tell me about your parents?” Charles asked one night after they’d watched yet another monster movie. Erik never declared a genre preference but he seemed to like the action scenes.

He looked over, eyes shifting to dark grey. “I’d like you to meet them. They’re…hard to explain.”

“What do you mean?”

“My father loves my mother as fully as a Genoshian can love his mate. I believe she cares for him deeply. She has chosen to stay with him even though she could leave. That means worlds to him.”

“They don’t have a good bond, do they?” he asked softly.

Erik blinked. “It’s gotten better with time, but it’s been hard. She’s never been back to her home world since he took her on a tour of his ship to complete their bond.”

Charles was shocked to hear that. “What? Why?”

“At first I think he was afraid that she would walk away from him. She’s nearly all powerful around large bodies of water,” Erik explained.

“Is that why you’d never swum in water? Why you mentioned bringing your mother to Earth?” he asked, pieces suddenly clicking into place.

“Yes to both.”

“You should tell your father to surprise her with a trip back to her home world. I think it would make all the difference.”

Charles felt a prickle of confusion on the edge of his mind “Really?”

He rolled his eyes playfully at his emotional ignorance. “Yes, really.”

Erik seemed thoughtful for a few minutes before asking. “How about your parents?”

He hated this story. “They loved me. My father and I were especially close. He died when I was young and my mother pulled away. She married again- man with a son a few years older than me. My step father Kurt Marko, and my mother drank to excess.

She drank to numb her pain. She found solace in the bottle. My step father was a mean drunk. He hit us, but especially me and Cain, his son. Cain hit me too. My childhood ended with my Father’s death.” He concluded grimly.

“Where are they now?”

“My mother and step father are dead. I haven’t seen Cain in years,” he sighed

“What was your father’s name?” Erik asked softly.

“Dr. Brain Xavier.”

“You took after him?”

He smiled, “yes.”

Erik wrapped a hand around his wrist. “Genoshians don’t have step parents. Only fostering if both parents die,” he explained.

“What if only one dies?”

“The child will live with their surviving parent and be mentored by other Genoshians.”

“Like extended family?”

“Yes, as you know them.”

A thought occurred to him. “Is that what will happen to Jason Stryker’s child? Will he be born and raised in prison?”

“Born yes, raised for a least a short while. That will be up to the inmate.”

“How so?”

Erik sighed, “Some species- especially those not accustomed to the idea of pregnancy and childbirth- have a hard time accepting their child. If he is well behaved and wants the child he will raise it through infancy and then have regular visitation through the foster parents.”

“And if he rejects the child?”

“He will go straight to a permanent foster home.”

“Back on Earth?” Charles asked curiously “Since it’s a new colony, but the child will be half human?”

Erik tensed, “Since there are very few Human/Genoshian couples there are very few options for who will raise the child. We wouldn’t send the child to be raised in a hostile environment, as Shaw wasn’t sent back to parents home world. Besides, the governors are still trying to sort through the excess children on Earth and finding them good homes.”

Charles’ eyes widened as he took in his meaning. “You don’t mean?”

Erik’s eyes shifted to a complex hazel “Since we are expecting our own, our first we will have rights of first refusal then it will fall to Captain Summers and his mate.”

“And if we all refuse?”

“Then another Genoshian Family will take the child in and try to engage with humanity as much as possible. Don’t feel pressured to accept a child not your own, Charles. That could lead to resentment which isn’t a good home for a child in any case,” Erik assured him firmly.

“Of course,” Charles conceded, trying to take in this new information.

“Come, let’s have dinner and you can show me your best alien movie,” Erik cajoled.

Charles agreed with a small smile. At least it would keep Erik distracted while he sorted through all this.

~~

Charles couldn’t sleep and not just because Albert was frantically wrestling a small pillow as loudly as possible.

His mind was on fire with all he’d learned over the weeks of their travels and especially the revelations of the past two days.

He resented Albert’s simple pleasures. Why did hid life have to be so difficult? He tried to smother himself with a pillow. “I’m jealous of a cat!!” he screamed into the cushion to muffle his angst.

And not just because the cat got to sit on Erik’s lap anytime he chose. He sighed then sat up, one hand resting on his lower abdomen thoughtfully.

Well, why not?

After all, the worst had already happened.

~~

Erik woke fully and immediately to a presence in his room. He opened his eyes to see his mate making his way towards the bed, stumbling slightly in the darkness. He propped himself up on one elbow and took in the sight of his mate approaching him dressed in a simple, thin robe.

He was confused, “Charles? What is it-”

Charles kissed him.

Erik was stunned. He hadn’t been expecting any physical overtures for at least several more months. Not that he wasn’t intrigued by the prospects of ‘angry’ and ‘make-up’ sex, but he tried not to think of such things too often.

“Charles?” he asked again, baffled once the smaller man pulled away.

“Erik, I can’t stop thinking. I need to stop thinking for a while.” He said like that explained anything. He pressed himself to Erik, climbing onto the bed to straddle his hips.

“Do you need a sleep aid?” Erik asked, choking out a groan as Charles pressed their hips together, setting up a sweet friction that had Erik clutching the sheets.

He caught the edge of Charles’ smirk, “Something like that.” He slipped his robe down his shoulders to reveal his nude form.

Oh.

“Oh.”

“Is-this alright?” Charles asked, suddenly hesitant, he shifted like he was going to leave the bed.

Erik grasped his hips tightly, frantically. Hoping this wasn’t another dream. “It’s alright. Please, show me how to help you.”

Charles grinned, triumphant, “Gladly.”

~~

His time had come.

Erik had thrown his little mate an introductory party with a few boot kissing, upper echelon sycophants who would cater to the humans’ delicate sensibilities. He had apparently made friends with Lady Frost, that Crystal Bitch. No surprise there, telepaths were drawn to their own.

That and his new acquaintance with Genlen could create issues for The Resolution, but scientific advancements were never reached without difficulty. His mother was a testament to that.

He never would have guessed that his favorite brother would be drawn to such an inferior being. Of course humans were being touted as the greatest find of their generation. The most recent best hope of birthing daughters.

Shaw smirked at the thought.

Two Derrian boys trying to solve the male issue for the Federation. With very different methods, of course.

Shaw hadn’t been invited to the gathering; he doubted Erik had even considered it. He’d been forced to hear about it second hand. The slight burned, but not for long.

Overall the news was good.

They had appeared close, as willing mates. There was little chance that they hadn’t completed their bond. That the cold, weak human didn’t now carry his brother’s child.

Perfection.

With a bit of data extrapolation, he could guess their next jump and surprise his dear brother with the good news.

His tablet chimed. The synthesis was complete.

He would cure Erik. Then together they would rule. Two halves of the same whole. “I’ve found your missing piece, Erik. Let me make you whole.” He said softly, watching the pale fluid settle in the centrifuge.

Yes, their time had come at long last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? What is Shaw up to? Any spelling, typos, continuity issues I should address? Let me know!xx


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shaw's plan revealed! Warning! Dark, Disturbing themes at the end of the Chapter! Read at your own discretion after the triple ~~

Erik loved physical things. Most of his possessions were digital or easily changed, like the furnishings in their quarters. He hadn’t known what he was missing until Charles gave him his camera. The developed pictures were smooth and cool under his hands.

Real.

They were sorting through the pictures of their trip with Charles showing him how to slide the delicate pages into albums and picture frames. He’d declared the practice ‘a bit old fashioned but very sweet’.”

Erik took that as a positive. They had selected a few to send to his parents upon their request. Charles had somehow managed to find five where Erik was actually smiling. His parents would think he had been body snatched.

“Is that a real thing?” Charles had asked, aghast when Erik referenced one of the many invasion movies they’d watched since their trip began.

“Yes, but it’s frowned upon.”

“ _Frowned upon?_ I hope that’s an understatement.”

“It’s deeply unsettling."

Charles shuddered, "I hope I never have to experience it."

“You won’t. Only a fool would try and control a telepath, especially one of your strength.”

Charles blushed, pleased at the compliment. “Well, I’ll look after you too,” he said cheekily, leaning in to press a quick kiss to Erik’s thin lips.

Erik pulled him back for a deeper kiss, startling a laugh out of his mate, “See that you do.”

~~

“The governors system is not popular. To say the least,” Moira said wearily.

“What have planetary aggression levels been since Erik’s decree?”

“19% on average for the week.”

“Hey! That’s an improvement.”

“This is embarrassing. Genoshians are going to think we’re barbarians.”

“To them we are,” he said, ever the pragmatist.

“Not helping, Sean.”

“Raven says-”

“Raven?” she cut him off sharply.

“Yeah, one of the twins? But with the long hair and no baby.”

“I know who Raven is, Sean. I didn’t know you’d made friends with any of the Genoshians,” she explained stiffly.

“Of course I have. They’re real live aliens and super chill. You haven’t been friendly with any of them?” he asked, seeming genuinely surprised.

“Only professional. You know that most of my time is spent dealing with politicians from home.”

He grimaced at that. “Yeah, they waste so much of your time. You haven’t even gotten to explore the ship on your own.”

“I’ve toured each ship present,” she reminded him.

Sean wasn’t impressed, “that’s something I guess.”

“You explore on your own?”

“Not really, but with my friends. Raven, Mystique, Hank. Not so much Azazel, he kind of freaks me out to tell you the truth. But Alex is a cool guy.”

“That’s great, Sean.” She said honestly.

“Yeah. Hey. Why don’t you take a break and we’ll go for a walk? Get lost for a little while? This ship is like a maze with no clues.” He laughed.

“I-” She really shouldn’t. There were so many good reasons not too and only one reason-spending some down time with Cassidy-to go. “I’d like that. Give me a minute.”

He smiled and gave her a look that warmed her to her toes, “take all the time you need.”

~~

“You said problems arise from lying.” His father frowned.

“Yes. Hopefully you haven’t lied to mama in a long while,” Erik said firmly. He and his father were having one of their rare private conversations over video chat.

“I haven’t and never intentionally,” he said flatly.

Erik more than understood. “You mean lies of omission?”

“Yes.”

“Unfortunately those almost count more than actual lies.”

His father flattened his lips irritably, “So I’ve learned. How is a ‘surprise’ not a lie?”

Erik sighed, “I don’t know, but Charles assures me that it isn’t.”

Jakob looked as unconvinced as Erik felt. “Just try it. Plan the trip and tell her you’re coming to visit me to meet Charles and see my new colony. Instead jump to Derria.  
She’ll be pleased.”

“Really? Derria. Would that have made all the difference?” he said softly, more to himself than to Erik.

He continued on. “Besides, it won’t be a lie. After you’re done there, you _will_ be coming to the fleet so it’s not a lie.”

His father frowned. “More like a detour.”

“Exactly.”

“I hope your mate knows what he’s talking about,” he said grimly.

“He’s very good at things like this. He sniffed Shaw out in a minute.”

“Good. I’ve been studying humans. They’re a very weak race. Shaw could crush him accidently.”

“We’re staying well away. Charles knows why.”

“Good. Stay safe out there. We’ll meet you and your mate after your mothers’…’surprise.’ He frowned deeply at the word.

Erik almost wished he could be there to see how it all turned out. but his parents bond was their own, and his father had to make up for his misdeeds alone. “Good luck.” He’d need it.

~~

“Moira? What’s wrong?” Armando asked, having been summoned for an unscheduled meeting in her quarters.

“Sean-I we kissed.” She blurted out anxiously.

He laughed brightly. “It’s about time!”

_“What?”_

“He’s been in love with you forever now! Don’t tell me you hadn’t noticed?”

She bit her lower lip and looked away. “I- figured he had a crush. I mean I’m so much older than he is.”

“Seven years isn’t that much. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and somehow I doubt he would have gotten anywhere near you if you didn’t want him to on some  
level.”

Moira groaned, and buried her face in her hands, “I had a moment of weakness.”

Armando frowned, “what’s the problem here?”

“I’m his superior” she snapped. “It’s wrong on so many levels. I should recuse myself from this mission. I’ve allowed myself to be compromised.”

“You’re taking this a little far aren’t you? If you aren’t interested, just tell Sean, I’m sure he’ll back off and keep it professional. We’re all needed here, Moira. If anything we need more agents, not less.” He reminded her gently.

She sighed and pursed her lips.

Armando frowned, trying to figure out what she wasn’t telling him, “Moira, correct me if I’m wrong but have you developed feelings for Cassidy?”

“This is so irresponsible,” she groaned. “The future of mankind is resting on our shoulders! This is not the time for tawdry love affairs.”

He put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It doesn’t have to be tawdry. If you two like each other, this may be the only chance you get.”

“Ever the voice of reason.” She said with a small smile.

“I try. Just talk to him, okay? Get this sorted out one way or the other so we can focus on the mission.”

She took a deep breath and let it out. “You’re right.”

“Of course I am,” he teased lightly.

She groaned and pushed her hair back nervously. “I’ll go now. Can you have Captain Summers check in with the Admiral? I’ve left Charles three messages and he hasn’t  
responded.”

“That’s not unusual.”

She shrugged. “I know, but I worry.”

Armando nodded, “the Admiral always answers official hails so we should hear back by the time you’ve agreed to become Mrs. Cassidy.” He dodged her glare with a laugh and hurried out of the room, hoping his colleagues finally sorted themselves out and found a little happiness of their own.

~~

~~

~~

Erik woke from an artificial sleep. It was easy to tell from the slight tingling fading from his fingertips.

He was suppressed, unable to sense the magnetic field that held the very universe together. He had never known life without it. It was a jarring surreal absence like suddenly going blind in the middle of the day.

He snapped his eyes open and found he couldn’t lift his hands from waist level. His wrists and ankles were bound to the tilted medical bed he found himself in.

He was nude.

He schooled his thoughts and refused to panic. There were very few things that could have happened to them so deep in Federation Space.

Unfortunately none of them were good.

His primary concern was Charles. There was no sign of him in the medbay. At least Erik knew that he would feel his death through their bond, the other man was frightened but alive and well.

“Admiral,” Erik tensed fully as Shaw’s voice filled the room. He couldn’t see him but he felt the other man approach from behind the bed.

“What is the meaning of this?” he snapped, senses alert with fear of what Shaw had planned.

The other man came to stand next to the bed, directly in his line of sight. Erik tensed his muscles to stop himself from flinching away from his captor as Shaw placed a hand lightly on his upper thigh. He clinched his teeth, “What the hell are you doing? This violates every-”

“Rules. Rules. Rules,” Shaw cut in with a self satisfied smirk. He ran gentle fingers from Erik’s thigh to his knee and back again.

“Get your hand off me.”

“More rules, brother? More lines between us?” he laughed; a harsh disconcerting sound. “Those rules don’t apply to us anymore. I’ve finally reached a Resolution.” He stepped closer to Erik and loomed over him, eyes nearly obsidian with emotion. He placed a hand in the center of his chest, directly between his hearts.

Erik froze, terrified that he would press down and crush his chest with his super strength.

Shaw smiled, human, wide, and terrifying. “I won’t hurt you. Not intentionally.” He crooned. “You mean too much to me, you’re the final piece to the puzzle.” Shaw chuckled; his human affectations grew more disturbing by the moment.

“You were right not to think of me as a brother. I thought that was the pull I felt towards you. The desire to be accepted by my own kind. But that was never going to happen. Because I am one of a kind.” He tilted his head to one side and leaned in close over Erik, breath hot against his lips. “And you are my mate.”

Erik jolted in shock at his words, flinching as Shaw’s strength held him in place. “You’re insane, that’s impossible.”

Shaw continued like he hadn’t spoken. “Or you will be. We don’t need to keep questing for mates. There are quadrillions of Genoshians, with more of us born every day. All we need is each other.”

“You’ve done something to yourself. You want to carry my child.” Erik was terrified for Charles, afraid that Shaw would implant their child into himself for gestation and birth, killing both Charles and their child in the attempt.

“Oh, no no. You’re still thinking too small. You’re going to carry my child. I’ll even let your Charles live and bear your child. Only if you’re cooperative, of course.” He faded out slowly, eyes roving over Erik’s bare form. “You are a thing of true beauty. Our bond will only improve upon your perfection.”

Erik’s hearts thundered in his chest, the thought of Charles and their child being held captive to force him to submit to Shaw’s experiments caused him  to break out in a cold sweat.

A sign of terror in humans, a part of his mind noted, calmly detached from all of this.

He had to stop this and find Charles. He had to find a way to reason with Shaw who had continued his monologue.

“I couldn’t trust you to listen to my plans. To really understand them when you take any excuse to leave my presence. To think me an abomination.

“Let me up and we’ll discuss this civilly.”

“Not yet, but soon enough.” His eyes gleamed bright white. He was humming with contained energy and went into a full speech. “Erik. I come bearing great news. I have solved our greatest issue. The greatest issue to ever face the Federation. Our male problem. The problem of needing to look outside ourselves to find mates. That drive to complete ourselves by bonding with inferior species.

“That pull that lies to you all. But not to me. You’ve found your mate, as our fathers did so many years ago on Derria. That fateful pull that draws you to your mate. What you felt when you met the good Dr. Xavier. I felt for you. I’ve always known we were meant to be.” He chuckled.

“For a time during our adolescence I thought myself an abomination. I thought that perhaps being second born truly made me a monster, a beast drawn to my own kind. Then I met my father and he explained his research. And I understood. He made me pure. Have you never realized that those _selfish bitches_ just don’t want to give birth to the best child they can? A _pure_ child? Unburdened by sharing _their_ energy?”

Erik tensed at the slight to his mother. To all of her kind.

“Don’t fret brother dear. I’ve done more than my father ever dreamed. I’ve been able to synthesize our bonding process. The mental, physical, and emotional changes that occur. That great mystery that no one has ever understood. There is no mystical component, Erik. Just cold, hard, science. At first I was livid to find that you’d found a mate. Of course by the time I arrived you had completed your bond. But no matter. It’s all worked itself out, hasn’t it?” He asked fondly.

Erik was horrified. “You can’t do this; you’ll be imprisoned for crimes against nature.”

Shaw chuckled warmly and toyed with Erik’s fingers, “I’ll be hailed as a hero. Especially when you bear us a daughter.”

“Even in other races there is no guarantee of daughters,” Erik said, trying to reach Shaw through his madness.

“We’ll just have to keep trying then, won’t we? We have all the time in the universe out here,” he leaned in to whisper into Erik’s ear. This time he couldn't hide his flinch.

Shaw sighed, irritated by his reaction. “You’ll come to appreciate me with time, my dear mate. Unfortunately we don’t have much time right now. You’re missing, you see and I’m going to have half my fleet out searching the Federation for you.”

“And what? You think no one will wonder about your whereabouts? No one will ask where I’ve been all this time when you bring me back as your mate?” Erik tried to reason with him once more.

“All in service to science my dear. I will solve the greatest problem of our people. They will be forced to recognize my genius. They will marvel at our bond. They will love me and my family name – he grasped Erik’s chin in a bruising grip and forced him to look into his eyes- _our_ family name will be redeemed.”

Erik was shaking, “Shaw.”

“None of that. It’s time for your medicine. You’ll be begging me to touch you soon enough,” he said, wide eyed with excitement.

He brought over a teal patch that Erik recognized as a popular party drug/aphrodisiac. “This will help you accept us faster. He quickly pressed it to Erik’s upper arm and placed a gentle kiss over top. “I’ve waited so long for this. Only a few minutes more,” he whispered heatedly.

He moved out of Erik’s sight. He could feel the medicine coursing through his body, soothing his mind and filling him with warmth. He tried to fight the effects as he heard Shaw clattering around just behind him.

 _~Erik? Erik? Where are you?~_ he heard Charles’ voice frighteningly loud in his mind. He managed not to startle and alert their captor of this development.

_~Charles, are you alright? Are you safe? Did he hurt you?~_

~ _I’m fine. I’m oh my god, you have to get out of there! He’s got a syringe!~_ Charles practically screamed into his mind.

~ _I’m suppressed and I can’t break the bonds~_ he admitted, humiliated by his own inability to protect his family from this madman.

~ _Erik, he wants to change you! **Bond** with you!~_

_~I know, he won’t listen to reason. Promise you won’t watch~_

_~Erik!~_

_~ **Promise**_ **~**

Charles fell silent in his mind just as Shaw made his way back over. “How are you feeling? More relaxed? Ready for the rest of our lives?” he asked softly, leaning over Erik, holding a slender syringe filled with lavender fluid. He gripped his arm tightly and chose an injection site. “Take a deep breath and don’t look.” He said playfully, what doctors told frightened children. Erik felt sick to his stomach, entirely powerless in his grasp.

“Sebastian, please,” he begged, past dignity. The other man froze in place at his words and for a moment Erik thought he had gotten through to him, but Shaw didn’t reanimate. He was a still as a statue.

“Shaw? Sebastian?” No response. Minutes that felt like hours slowly ticked by.

The aphrodisiac pounding through him, making it harder for him to concentrate. He couldn’t, for the life of him figure out what was going on.

Then Charles walked into the room like a vision, fingers pressed to his temple, trembling with effort.

 **"Let go of him** **.”** He said firmly.

Shaw did.

**“Step back against the wall.”**

Shaw obeyed.

**“Go to sleep.”**

Shaw collapsed, the syringe fell to the floor and rolled against the wall.

Charles relaxed with a sigh, shaking from the effort of controlling their captor. He rushed to Erik’s side. “Are you alright? I’m sorry it took so long, I had to find the code to my quarters in his mind!” he hurried to undo the shackles binding Erik to the bed.

“I’m fine thanks to you.” He pulled his little mate into his arms and simply held him until he felt the smaller man tense. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Charles cleared his throat “Um, is that a fear response or..?”

Erik blushed and pulled back, tearing off what was left of the drug Shaw had dosed him with. “It’s an aphrodisiac. Shaw wanted me willing.” He explained angrily.

Charles was livid. “Drugging someone doesn’t make them _willing_.”

“Neither does it make them your mate,” Erik said grimly. “Come on. We need to suppress him and get back to Federation space as quickly as possible.

“We’ve been here long enough for both jump drives to have recharged. I saw it in his mind.”

“Excellent.” Erik hefted Shaw onto the table and strapped him in before slapping a dark red suppressant patch onto his neck. “That should hold him. Can you keep him under until we hail a fleet? This is his ship and I’d rather not fall for any nasty surprises he has programmed in.” He said gently.

“Of course,” Charles lifted a shaky hand to his temple and pressed Shaw deeper into unconsciousness.

Erik pulled on a white medical outfit he found in one of the cabinets lining the walls but remained barefoot. He took Charles’ trembling hands in his own. “Can you keep an eye on him from the bridge? I don’t want to leave you alone with him.”

He nodded, wide eyed and frightened. Erik was worried that he would fall into shock or hysteria the way he had after the induction ceremony. “Yes, I can.”

Erik took his hand and led him from the room, not looking back at the unconscious man bound to the table. Shaw was no longer a threat, and no longer his concern. They needed to get back to the safety of Federation space, then justice could take its course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Started with fluff, got dark and scary very quickly! What did you think of Shaw's plan? Any questions about what happened? Explanations to come in the next chapter!


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team tries to find Erik and Charles who are trying to find out where they are!

“So what do we tell Earth?” Armando asked wearily.

Moira shook her head, at a loss. “I don’t know. They’ll suspect foul play and may even see it as a threat to Earth itself. We can’t handle any more unrest.”

“I say we wait. Tell them they’re still on vacation and handle any issues ourselves. Moira’s right. Earth is a powder keg right now. This would just set it off, and without Erik here to soften the blow, who knows what punishments we’d receive?”

Armando sighed, not liking this but not seeing any other options. “Alright, I’ll take point?” he looked to Moira for approval only to be met with her wry look. “What?”

“Agent Munoz or perhaps I should call you Captain’s Mate Summers? You outrank me now,” she chuckled at the blank incomprehension that flashed across his face.

Cassidy smiled and clapped him on the back, snapping him out of it. “Don’t worry man; we’re still here for you.”

“I’m not sure how comforting that is.” He said dryly. And though Moira knew he was joking, she couldn’t help but feel surge of guilt at how little help they’d been for Charles, even now lost to them in the depths of space.

She turned to look out into the stars and swallowed thickly, hoping against all odds that they’d see him again alive and well. The only hope she had was the devotion the Admiral showed the smaller man. They were either alive together or lost to them entirely.

~~

Genlen stepped aboard Admiral Lehnsherr’s craft. It had been found floating adrift in space with only one life form aboard that was too small to be either Erik or Charles. His crew was busy unlocking the ships records of the past several days while he searched the craft for specific clues.

His conversation with the young human had stuck with him in the few days since they’d met. He couldn’t help but wonder what the other man saw in Shaw’s mind that frightened him so.

Shaw himself was out and about in his personal craft once again. He claimed to be searching for the pair, but something about his words rang false. He had even name dropped the Ragus as potential kidnappers.

What an odd conclusion to jump to this deep in Federation Space.

Plus he had been uncharacteristically manic on their video call. He had been close to spitting mad when Genlen and his team had been given leave to lead the investigation of Lehnsherr’s private craft. Shaw had insisted his own team be given the lead, thankfully he had been overruled.

The Ragus were sworn enemies of the Federation and lived in the lawless wilds of deep space. They could also reproduce with their own kind and hatched from eggs in massive swarms hundreds strong.

Their numbers were truly daunting, even to one who intimately knew the size and scope of the Federation. If it ever came to all out war there would be staggering casualties on both sides and there was no guarantee the Federation would come out the victor.

For them to sneak into the heart of Federation Space and capture an admiral and his expectant mate would be as formal a declaration of war as there could be. But something didn’t add up. There had been no raids and few recent border skirmishes, nothing at all like a ramp up to open hostilities that the Ragus favored. They were missing something vital.

Genlen closed his eyes and slid one of his ever present gloves off before pressing his bare hand to the wall of the ship’s deck.

_He felt the residual presence of the mated pair and the alternate insensate/manic activity that seemed to be the hallmark of the tiny creature now watching him malevolently from the captains’ chair._

_Erik and Charles had been intimate several times then fallen into a sleep cycle. It had been nearing its end, at least for the admiral. Humans slept for mind boggling stretches of time. Then there had come a cloaked presence. Noticeable by its very absence. Then nothing but the creature left alone on the craft._

It was a very bad sign, and a point in the favor of Shaw’s theory that they’d been captured by the Ragus. Even Genoshian cloaking technology was based on Ragus physiology with some slight tweaks. He could only hope he was wrong.

Genlen stepped back from the wall, waiting for the report from the rest of his team who had fanned out to perform a physical search of the ship. He put his gloves back on and eyed the speckled creature who had growled at his assistant only moments ago.

He sighed and hoped those claws weren’t strong enough to slice through the fabric of his uniform.

~~

Erik was shaking as he tried to make sense of the star charts in front of him. His human adrenal and emotional response was still wracking his system.

He took a deep breath and tried to focus. It looked like Shaw had held them for just over two days. They had missed two scheduled jumps and hadn’t updated their logs which had surely immediately alerted the Federation to the fact that they were missing.

He called to mind all he knew of emergency star charting out of Federation space. It wasn’t a skill he’d ever needed, but he was more than capable of figuring out their location.

“I think we jumped more than once,” Charles said from his side, one hand placed protectively on his lower abdomen.

“Surely at least twice if he needed to recharge both drives,” Erik agreed tensely.

“At least three times, perhaps four. When we were out, he managed to recharge and use the drives again.”

Erik paled at the news. This was worse than he thought. He had rarely been outside of Federation Space and never would have brought his pregnant mate into the dangerous depths of unconquered space.

“Can’t we call for help?”

Erik shook his head briskly, “We aren’t the only power in the universe. Any number of our enemies would kill or die to capture an admiral, much less two.”

Charles’ eyes widened, “Then why would Shaw bring us this far out? Why would he risk it?”

Erik frowned, it made no sense. He shivered and grit his teeth, trying to push all thoughts but escaping their current situation out of his mind.

Charles stepped in close and looked up into his eyes, sending a quiver of awareness through his body. “I knew you weren’t all right! Erik!-Oh.” He finished softly with a blush.

Erik cleared his throat and stepped back from his alluring mate. “The drug should be out of my system within a few hours.”

Charles bit his ruby red lower lip and teased it between his teeth, “Or we could work it out of your system.”

Erik feared that stress had caused Charles to have a break with reality. “What.”

“I mean, you need to be able to concentrate. It’s kind of important,” Charles insisted breathily, pupils dilating at the very thought. Erik wondered if his mates’ adrenal system was also overloaded by the stress of their situation. It was the only logical explanation. Not that logic often seemed to enter into human decisions before intercourse, at least not according to his research.

The timing of his request was entirely inappropriate, but Erik couldn’t help his immediate physical reaction to his mates’ proposal. What the hell was wrong with humans that this situation could seem erotic?

Charles took umbrage with the unexpressed thought. “Nothing is wrong with us! You’re the one who wanted to try angry sex! This is a similar reaction! Why shouldn’t we celebrate surviving this far?” he slipped his arms around Erik’s waist and pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder.

True, but perhaps they should wait until they’d survived further still.

He wavered.

“We can celebrate then too,” Charles licked his lips and nuzzled the side of his neck, “this will just help take the edge off.”

Erik groaned as another surge of arousal flooded his body, either Charles was making very good points or he had become far more human than he’d ever thought. “I do suppose it would upset Shaw were we to befoul the deck of his personal craft.” He conceded with a small frown.

Charles smirked and stepped in close, “You have _no idea_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry for the long delay! I posted a mini not fic a few weeks ago explaining that I've been very sick! Its been deleted by management! Oops! That's what I get for skimming the TOS! 
> 
> I'm still dealing with some health issues but I'm (hopefully) back to writing regularly! Good vibes are always welcome! As are comments, questions, and concerns about the story! Thanks for sticking by me and still reading! xx


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles and Erik begin to head back to the fleet! The team begins to unravel Shaw's plan!

Erik was pleased to find that Charles had been correct in his assessment of their needs. Even now his beautiful mate was resting after several sessions of physical intimacy that had certainly soiled the deck of Shaw’s ship.

Human intercourse was rather messy, but Erik found he liked that fact more and more as time went on. He looked over at Charles, dressed again in the pale pink medical uniform Shaw had provided him to change into.

It was beyond disturbing to see the quarters he had arranged for Charles. Set up as one room with a sleep lounge, bathing stall, and toilet. There had been a small cabinet filled with clothes to fit the small human.

Apparently he would have been at the mercy of Shaw for food and any other necessities.

Erik’s stomach tightened painfully as he imagined them trapped in the future Shaw had planned for them. He’d have done anything to keep Charles and the baby safe, even submit to their captor’s foul attentions.

He turned his attention back to charting, they weren’t safe yet, and the fact that Charles was sleeping meant that Shaw was at his most dangerous. Erik was able to watch him from the surveillance feed of the lab.

His skin crawled as he imagined Shaw watching him as he slept drugged and unaware.

Shaw was currently awake and livid. He screamed and strained against his bonds but was unable to break them. He demanded Erik attend him. He insisted they were mates and that Charles was trying to come between them, that he would have Charles executed for the crime of attempting to break a bond.

“The lack of self awareness is _astounding,_ ” Charles mumbled, pressing two fingers to him temple just before Shaw fell back into an unnatural sleep. Charles rolled over and began snoring lightly.

Erik smirked. He had figured out the quadrant they were in and was ready to make their first jump. When Charles was better rested, they’d be able to figure out exactly where Shaw had taken them and why.

“Why can’t we just look at the logs and retrace our steps?” Charles had asked as Erik programmed a small bed for him to rest on as he worked. Neither was comfortable being apart just yet, even by a few rooms.

“His logs are programmed to auto delete every twelve hours,” Erik said grimly. “That is a major violation of Federation Law, particularly for such a highly placed individual. I don’t even know where he found someone willing to program the system for him.”

“Maybe he did it himself?”

“Unlikely, all of the commands are hardwired in. Heads will roll for this.” _If we make it back,_ he didn’t say aloud.

Charles heard and pressed a small kiss to his chin, “We’ll make it out of here. I’m sure of it.”

His belly rumbled just then and Erik declared a break to fix them a meal. He fought back a pang of worry for Albert, his fearless little predator who always came to him for bits of his meal. Their little pet all alone in space without them, unless Shaw had… he forcefully turned his mind away from such thoughts.

He wouldn’t entertain them because they weren’t true. It would be a waste of time to even consider such things.

“He’ll be fine,” Charles said firmly, though his eyes were pinched with worry. “You said Shaw had people out looking. They must have found our ship by now. They’ve probably taken him to Sean for some spoiling.” Erik nodded grimly, throat tight for some reason.

They clasped hands tightly and ate the rest of their meal in troubled silence.

~~

They had made two jumps and were waiting for the second drive to recharge as Erik worked out their next plot point.

He had already set an emergency jump in case they were found and needed a quick escape.

For the first time in a long time, he was grateful for his father’s harsh way of teaching him. He was sure his ingrained calm under pressure was the only thing keeping his newly human level of emotional irrationality from paralyzing him in fear.

 _Erik,_ Charles brushed against his mind as he came awake.

Erik opened his mind to him so he could see their progress, but a sharp gasp from his mate had him turning to him in worry.

Charles was staring past him out the bridge screen to the star they were orbiting at close range as an added shield from detection by long range scanners.

Erik looked back at it but didn’t see anything notable about it. They had seen many stars on their interrupted tour, and while Charles was enraptured by all of them, this was clearly something different.

“What is it?” he asked curiously.

“It’s _purple,_ ” Charles whispered, astonished. Like that explained anything.

His mate chuckled as he caught the thought. “Humans can’t see green or purple stars. Our eyes evolved to a white-yellow light spectrum so we see green as white and purple as blue.” He explained eagerly, nose nearly pressed against the glass.

How their species had survived as long as they had was a mystery to him. Charles rolled his eyes at him, “We’re survivors. It’s what we do. No need to see purple light waves to survive.”

“I’ll have to find a nice green one for you then. We can find out what colors you can now see,” Erik smiled indulgently. He loved Charles’ mind. He was meant to be a telepath.

Charles smiled at him over his shoulder, “I’m glad you think so. I mean, it’s a good thing we didn’t tell anyone what I can do but…” he fidgeted. Erik came to stand behind him, pulling him back to rest against his chest as they watched a solar flare briefly engulf the ship.

Flames of every color swirling around them for an instant before vanishing into the depths of space. Charles sighed happily and pressed back against him.

“But?” Erik coached gently.

“Won’t people be afraid of me now?”

“They’ll be amazed by you and all want a human mate of their very own,” Erik assured him. “Some will be frightened at first, but we appreciate strong powers, especially new ones. Don’t fret.” He added as an afterthought.

Charles smiled up at him; _You’re getting better at this comforting thing._

_Thank you_

“Erik, I’d like to read Shaw’s mind, perhaps find out where we are and why he brought us here. What do you think?”

Erik hesitated. It was certainly worth a try to get them home faster, but he didn’t want Shaw to be able to accuse him of planting ideas by tampering with his mind. He was terrified that the excuse might hold up in court and see Shaw with a lesser sentence.

Charles frowned as he read the thoughts filling Erik’s mind. “But he could already say that since I gave him a command and have been keeping him asleep.” He said pragmatically, hoping that the very thing that saved them wouldn’t be the thing that set Shaw free to try again.

Erik had to agree with that. “True. What’s done is done. Read him if you can and compile it in a log for future reference. Don't push yourself too hard, we'll find out either in due time either way.” After seeing Charles set up at a portable terminal, Erik went back to charting, hair standing up on the back of his neck, fearful of what Charles would discover in the depths of Shaw’s mind.

~~

Genlen hated being right under such circumstances. Lady Frost and her network of telepaths had been assisting him in going over the every detail of Admiral Lehnsherr’s disappearance along with his mate. 

And now the long, unexplained absence of Admiral Shaw.

Shaw’s crew was insisting that he’d been abducted as well. Apparently that was the only possible explanation. They had immediately mentioned the Ragus as the culprits. No concern for internal threats or even external from the numerous other enemies of the Federation.

Lady Frost herself was the one to notice the irregularity in their words. She was an expert at reading into the motivations of others.

“You say there have been fewer border raids. That the Ragus have gone quiet. Well, as quiet as they ever do.”

“That is correct, My lady.”

She sat still as a statue, diamond skin glimmering in the light. “We need to assemble a counsel immediately.”

“To locate the admirals?” he asked, even as he began composing a message to acting Admiral Azazel.

She gave a low, discordant hum. “To prepare for war.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short Chapter but we are approaching the end! Please let me know if you have any questions that still need answering and I'll make sure to include them in the story! Also, that stuff about human eyes and the light spectrum is actually true! Stay tuned for more soon! xx


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shaw's plan begins to become clear! The Federation prepares for war!

“War? Why are we preparing for war? And what does that mean for Earth?” Armando asked his mate.

“Don’t worry for Earth. We will protect it at all costs. You can even go back to the surface for the duration if it makes you more comfortable.”

“Thank you. I’ll need to prepare and deliver a briefing But I’ll stay with you.” Armando said firmly. Though he wouldn't have expected it weeks ago, the Genoshian had really grown on him as a trusted friend with the potential for far more.

Alex tried and failed to hide a smile at his words. He wanted nothing more than his mate at his side during until this threat was over. He continued his debrief. “Lady Frost, Master Genlen and their information networks have determined that we are under imminent threat of invasion by the Ragus, our closest and largest enemy.”

“Why do they think that?”

He opened the table top as a series of electronic files. “Here is all of their evidence. I’ve looked it over. It seems solid.”

Armando leaned forward eagerly and began to peruse the files. “And what does that have to do with Charles and Lehnsherr going missing? And has Admiral Shaw been located yet?”

Alex sighed heavily. “This doesn’t leave this room."

"Classified, got it."

"We have reason to believe Shaw defected and may in fact be responsible for The Admiral and his consort disappearing.”

Armando was floored. “ _An admiral defecting?_ What repercussions will that have throughout the federation? Are we at risk of another takeover or civil war?”

“We certainly hope not. Acting Admiral Azazel is working to bring the situation under control. He trained under Shaw for a time but requested a transfer after a particularly violent incursion on an older colony. So he has many friends remaining within the Southern fleet.”

Armando’s frown deepened at this news. “Are we sure we can trust him? I mean he _did_ work for Shaw, is there any chance he could be an inside man?”

Alex frowned. “I hate to think it but it’s something we have to keep in mind. Also, Lady Frost has a connection to Shaw as well. He led us to believe she was his mate. This was several federation years ago, mind you. He called it off after it was really too late for such a thing to occur. It was quite a scandal at the time. She remains unmated.”

“So what does this mean? We’re getting our information from people who may be working with Shaw?” He was trying not to panic at how very wrong this could all go. Could have already gone. 

“That does seem unlikely, but yes.” Alex agreed bleakly. "We just have to remain vigilant. Trust your instincts," he tried to reassure his mate. 

~~

Erik felt unaccountably nervous for a being only one jump from Federation space. But something felt off. It couldn’t be Shaw. He had kept him heavily dosed since capturing him. Charles was also on edge he’d been pacing, rubbing his hand absently over his abdomen for hours lost in thought.

“Something doesn’t add up,” he finally said, coming to sit on Erik’s lap in the captain’s seat.

Erik smiled, “Is that why my mind is unsettled?”

“Sorry,” he blushed sheepishly.

“It’s alright. You’re right of course. Something about Shaw’s plan is nonsense. We are missing a major piece to the puzzle. We need to reach the Federation and find out what’s going on before the rest of his trap can spring.”

“Do you think we’ll make it on time?”

“We have to. There’s too much at risk-” he cut of  sharply as an alarm sounded on the bridge. The both jolted at the sound, Charles looking wide eyed and Erik looking grim.

“What is that?”

“The ships radar detector.”

“Have we been spotted?”

“No, or if we have we haven’t been hailed.” Erik assured him.

“Then what is it?”

“We’re picking up ships, a great number of them surrounding us.”

Charles peered around but saw nothing but the curve of the moon they were hiding behind. “Where?”

“They’re cloaked and not close enough for you to see at any rate, but it looks like a fleet just jumped into this system.”

“But we’re only one jump away from the Federation,” Charles said, horrified.

“Yes, we are.” Erik began setting the dials on the first jump drive with a new sense of urgency.

“Erik, what’s going on?”

“It looks like the Ragus are preparing for an invasion. We have to get back as soon as possible and let them know we’ve been betrayed.”

“You think this is the piece we’ve been missing? A double cross?”

“It makes some sense,” he said, carefully lifting Charles off his lap and preparing the controls on the second jump drive. “Shaw expected to have _years_ out here with us as his captives, deep in Ragus territory. He couldn’t do that unless he has some sort of deal with them. Then he planned to return as a hero. Likely either by betraying the Ragus in turn or affecting some sort of treaty that will give them some Federation territory. Unlikely unless we’re years into a war with heavy losses and no end in sight.”

Charles was horrified,“He would see millions of his own dead just to keep you as his mate?”

“Billions is more like it. On both sides. And it would appear so.” Erik wondered if this could have been avoided if Shaw had just approached him openly and been able to accept his rejection.

“That would make him an entirely different sort of person, Erik. This isn’t your fault. His obsession with you is…unlike anything I’ve ever seen. He’s pathological. I can’t even get a good read on him. I’ve found information on his Ragus contacts and a timeline of them, but the private details are still beyond me.”

“Not for long, dear, you've done well for a new telepath with no real training." Erik's mind practically glowed with pride over his achievements. "Once we get him in front of a tribunal we’ll know everything. Meanwhile we have to get out of here. I need to keep you safe and let the Federation know what Shaw has done.”

“Alright,” Charles said shakily, taking a seat and strapping in.

Erik paused for a moment, chest filled with _fear/anger/impatience_. He wanted to keep Charles from excessive worry, but knew he had to tell his mate what they were up against. “They’ll know when we jump. They’ll see it flare on their radar, there’s no hope for it. They may send a tracking ship after us and we will be jumping into the territory of the Southern fleet so we’ll need to make a double jump back to the main fleet.” It would be stressful on their bodies, especially Charles’ as a human in his condition but they had no other options left.

Charles paled at the thought of being chased. Of being in Federation territory controlled by those loyal to Shaw. Of possibly leading their enemies back to Earth. But there was no choice with so many lives on the line. He reached over and squeezed Erik’s hand tightly grateful they were in this together. _~We can do it. Let’s go~_

He could only hope they made it in time.

~~

Moira was on edge. The material Armando had provided during their hours long briefing was grim. They had barely been inducted and already they were heading off to war. Not that any humans would be involved.

Except maybe for Charles where ever he might be.

“It’s kind of a relief that all this is happening,” Sean said from behind her, even his customarily high spirits dimmed by the news.

She turned to face him with a slight frown. “How?”

“At least we finally know where Charles is,” he said, not looking up from the files they were perusing. Armando was heading back to Earth within the next few hours to meet with the Federation Governors and leaders from human governments. It was nerve wracking, but it must be done.

“How do you figure?” the agent asked, sharing a look with Moira.

“Well, wherever there’s trouble, there’s Charles.” Sean said prosaically.

Moira’s eyes widened at his words because they were so very true. Armando sprang to his feet, a new surge of energy filling him at Sean’s words. “We need to put Genlen on alert to track any movement in and out of the Federation if possible.”

“There must be usual traffic patterns they track,” Armando agreed readily, already typing out a message to the small alien. “We can investigate anything unusual and hopefully have a least a few minutes of advance warning before an attack occurs.”

“And hopefully get Charles back. Albert has been pining.” Sean informed them primly.

“Well, we can’t have that,” Moira chuckled at the fact that he could still be so concerned with the emotional needs of a kitten while they were on the brink of galactic war. It was nice to be reminded of the simple things. The reasons they were fighting at all.

From the look on Armando’s face, he felt the same way. Sometimes she thought recruiting Sean was the best decision she’d ever made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? We're near the end! Only a few chapter left! Please ask any questions you need answering to make sure we wrap up all the plotlines! Thanks for reading!xx


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back in Federation Space! Dramatic Reveals!

Two long distance successive jumps saw them deep into Federation Space. Erik breathed easily for the first time since their capture. Even the guilt at how Charles ran to the bathroom to vomit what little he’d eaten paled in comparison to his relief.

Their first jump had landed them in Shaw’s territory and he’d immediately jumped them to Genosha Prime. He had no idea how many of Shaw’s troops were in on his plan and he wasn’t risking Charles or the baby trying to find out on his own.

They were hailed immediately as he knew they would be. Blind, unannounced jumps into populated systems were reckless in the extreme.

“This is Admiral Lehnsherr reporting for duty.

~~

“You’re both in excellent health, as is your child.” The doctor, a shimmering peach being of nearly seven feet tall assured Charles and Erik in a quavering voice that echoed across Charles’ ears like waves lapping gently against the shore.

He leaned against Erik in relief at her words. “Thank you doctor,” he said happily, a huge weight lifted off his mind.

“It was an honor, consort. I’m requesting a transfer to your quadrant in the hopes of treating other humans, your physiology is most interestingly complex.”

“Thank you. We can always use more help,” he said diplomatically. He was happy the tests were over and that they all had a clean bill of health. Erik’s worry over him and the baby had been more nerve wracking than all the scans he’d submitted to over the long hours since they’d arrived.

The doctor gave a pleased chirp and left them alone in the spacious med bay.

Upon arrival, Erik and Shaw had been immediately taken to be debriefed, though his mate had joined him a little while ago and submitted to his own exam to make sure Shaw hadn’t done him any permanent damage.

“Is everything alright?” Charles asked, feeling Erik’s still reeling emotions.

“Yes. I explained everything to the council, though they’ll want to hear it from you as well.” He hesitated and leaned down to press a kiss to the crown of Charles’ head. “The psyonic council was impressed by your feats of strength and would like you present for Shaw’s interrogation. Apparently they haven’t made even as much headway as you did though he is still unconscious. You won’t be face to face with him and you have the right to refuse-”

“If they think I can help, I’ll be happy to.” Charles interrupted him firmly. Time was of the essence and billions of lives hung in the balance, his choice was made for him.

“Of course you will,” Erik said fondly, eyes shifting to a dark, steel gray.

~~

“They’re back! We found them!” Alex ran into the room shouting happily.

“Charles?” Moira looked up, eyes wide with hope.

“Yes! Azazel just called. They’re at Genosha Prime safe and sound and with Shaw in tow. That’s all confidential but Charles insisted you all know.”

Sean whooped his glee and fist pumped the air before pulling Moira into a tight hug, “I told you he’d be alright! He’s like a bad penny, he always turns up!”

The two laughed and began to talk of debriefing and how soon they’d be able to speak to the other man.

Armando smiled  at the description and felt the vice of fear begin to release from his chest. Maybe they weren’t headed to war after all.

Alex frowned as he said it aloud. “Actually it seems like we’re closer than we suspected. We’re putting the fleet into battle formation throughout the quadrant. Admiral Lehnsherr saw a Ragus invasion force on the borders of Shaw’s quadrant,” he said softly, taking him aside. “That’s all I know. Not how they got out there or how Shaw ended up there as well.”

“Are they going to interview him with telepaths?”

“Yes, all of them actually. But it looks like Lady Frost was right.”

“So she _is_ on our side?”

He pursed his lips and inclined his head uncertainly, “we can only hope.”

~~

“Where is Admiral Lehnsherr?” Shaw demanded angrily of the unknown telepath watching him impassively. The little whore wouldn’t be able to read him like Erik’s false mate had managed to do.

He was still baffled by that, but wouldn’t be for long. He hadn’t made it this far without contingency plans in place.

“You’re in no position to be asking such questions, Admiral. You’ve been accused of grievous crimes against the Federation and against nature itself.” The reed thin, amber eyed, male said calmly. “Have you no defense for your actions?”

“I did what any Genoshian would do for my mate and my people,” he sneered.

The male fell silent for a brief moment, likely conferring with the numerous unseen psyonics participating in this session. He was sure they could read his emotions and surface level thoughts, but now that he was conscious, anything deeper would be effectively blocked from them. He hid a smirk at the thought of their frustration.

He hoped Frost was one of them. She deserved to see how well she’d assisted him in the early days of The Resolution. All unwitting of course, but then she’d been a sentimental fool to think she could ever be his fated mate. Not when there was Erik to be had.

“As you say,” the telepath inclined his head formally, not giving away his own thoughts in any way. “Tell me about your relationship to Admiral Lehnsherr.”

Shaw smirked; they were already reaching the end of their rope with him. It was a wonder they hadn’t asked about the Ragus yet. They all sat so smug and secure. So sure of themselves and their ability to protect their beloved Federation. The system that maligned him and kept Erik from his rightful place at his side.

He couldn’t wait to watch it burn and Erik’s false mate along with it. He would bring them all to their knees and they would present Erik to him as a war prize. They would kneel and beg him to deliver them from the scourge of the Ragus.

And he would. But not before they’d purged the galaxy of humans and shifters. He wasn’t taking any chances that their newest acquisitions would actually provide daughters in the coming years. No, with the losses the Federation was sure to sustain, Genoshians would be begging to turn their sons into proper mates for each other. Especially once Lehnsherr, their golden admiral, bore him their first child.

He smiled at the thought of pure Genoshians spreading across the universe as it always should have been.

The telepath sitting with him tilted his head slightly, “Admiral, you’ve been found to be in possession of illegal technology both on your private vessel and within your person. Will you disclose this technology or submit to a search for it?” he asked smoothly.

Shaw took in an even breath, hating that Erik had betrayed him by telling them his findings on the ship. Ah well, they had the long years of their life together to sort out these issues. That said how did they know about his chip? There was no way they had a scanner to detect it as it was placed. Perhaps they were bluffing.

To his horror, he found that they weren’t when two medics stepped into the room and immediately began eyeing his left shoulder. For the first time since waking on Genosha Prime, he fought his restraints.

The Resolution already balanced on a razor thin edge, losing the chip would undoubtedly tip it into failure and he knew exactly who to blame.

He fought sleep as they forcibly sedated him, as they destroyed everything he’d spent the long years of his life working towards. Xavier would burn for this if it was the last thing he ever did.

~~

“Charles?” Emma asked softly, laying a cool diamond hand on the back of his neck comfortingly.

“I’m fine,” he said shakily. “Thank you for guiding me in there.”

She gave him as warm a look as she could manage. “You’ll learn the techniques in time and be quite formidable on your own. You have more raw strength that even I do.”

“I’d give up some strength for your precision,” he admitted tiredly.

 “No need for that I assure you, you can have both with time and effort.”

He shook of the unsettling pressure of Shaw’s consciousness with some effort, “what was that in there? It was hard for me to understand what all we were seeing?”

“That’s because it spanned so many years. Far longer than a human lifespan. It is hard for your mind to contain the information in sequential order.” She hesitated in her explanation and he felt a tremble of deep emotion from her, shielded too quickly for him to indentify. “Shaw played me for a fool. I’ve known it for some years, but didn’t know why or to what extent.” She said stiffly.

Charles frowned, “he played you? How?”

“Apparently via some sort of telepathy blocking device implanted into his robotic shoulder joint. Any normal scan would show the complex gears and inner workings of the device not noticing an additional CPU that apparently blocks telepathic influence at deeper levels of consciousness. It’s not noticeable unless you’re delving deep into his mind. I’ve never seen or heard of anything like it.” She admitted tightly.

Charles was horrified by her words, “so he pretended to court you to calibrate the device?”

“It would seem so,” she said with some difficulty. Clearly her feelings during their love affair had been all too real.

“I’m sorry, Emma.” Charles said softly, feeling terribly sad for the younger, happier Emma he’d seen in Shaw’s memories.

She clasped his hand in thanks, but was clearly unable to speak of it further at the moment. “We have Genlen to thank for his suspicions of Shaw’s personal tech and his tireless work combing through Shaw’s files until each item was accounted for. From Shaw’s reaction, I believe he was right in his suspicions. Once it is removed, we’ll have full knowledge of his plans for the future and any deals he made with the Ragus.”

“Hopefully we can end this war before it’s begun.” Charles gripped her cold hand tightly.

“Hopefully,” she echoed softly, turning to look out over the glittering metropolis that covered the surface of Genoshia Prime. Perhaps if she helped undo what she unknowingly helped to create, her traitorous heart would finally be free of its longing for Sebastian to return her affections. “Hopefully.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I'm back and we're actually almost done this time! Thanks for sticking with me for so long! Questions, comments, concerns? Please let me know! Especially if there's anything in particular you want to see! xx


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik and Shaw have a face to face conversation! Charles wonders about the future! Erik realizes what might have been...

“It’s over, Shaw,” Erik stood outside the cell housing his former rival. “Your trial is soon and our representatives are treating with the Ragus as we speak. It’s looking like the war you wanted won’t come to pass. Apparently they have no desire to lose millions in a war of your making.”

“Erik.” Sebastian locked eyes with him, lips pressed into a thin line, eyes a shimmering silver hue. “I hoped they would allow you to visit.”

“Of course they would. There is little doubt as to the outcome of the trial.” He agreed stiffly.

“Of course.” He sneered, “I’m not to suffer the fate of my father. Instead I shall be executed for my genius. For wanting something better for us all!” he finished bitterly.

Erik was disgusted by his attitude, “you wanted war! You intended to warp nature at its base level and pervert science to your own purposes! Millions would have died-if not more. And still you show no remorse!”

“Remorse?! For what?! Seeing exactly what we can become? Culling the herd of the weak? The slow? The stupid? There are too many of us, Erik! and far too many Ragus!” Shaw gave a disbelieving laugh. “How can you not see it? How can _none_ of you _see it?!_ I’m _trying_ to save us all!”

“By pitting us against one another in an unwinnable war?”

Shaw scoffed, “it was never about the war! It was about survival! It was about the purity of our species! The best of us will survive. And the strongest will breed their brethren to make more pure Genoshians!”

Erik was appalled; he pitied the telepaths who’d had to plumb the depths of Shaws mind. “You’re insane. I can only be grateful that your sick view of the future will never come to pass.”

“Ah yes, thanks to your little mate and his friends. Our glorious future has been compromised,” he said softly, eyes shifting to winter green.

“Yes, he will be given the highest honors for his work in outing your plan and your confederates,” Erik stated proudly.

“You judge me even as you stand there utterly devoted to your mate. Any Genoshian would have done the same to claim their mate! Even you, Erik! So high and mighty! What would you have done had your little human rejected you at every turn?” he snarled defensively.

The thought hit Erik like a punch to the gut. To not have Charles by his side…it was unfathomable. The image of his parents came to mind and he sighed. “I’d have let him leave. I never would have held him against his will. If he never wanted to see me again I would do everything in my power to make that possible.” He said shortly.

Shaw pressed his palms against the glass with a weary chuckle. “To think, I lost it all because of a man you don’t even love.”

Erik was baffled by that comment. “No, you lost it all because of your inability to understand what love is. You’re incapable of it, Shaw.”

His words enraged the other man. “ _I love you!_ You’re my perfect mate only you’re too much of a fool to see it! Your _bitch of a mother_ poisoned you against me every chance she got! And now your cold, weak excuse of a mate bears your child when you should bear mine!” Shaw yelled, throwing himself against the glass, wild eyed and savage.

Erik stepped back with a small sigh, relieved to know this would be the last time he was in the presence of this monster outside of the trial. He was even more grateful that he’d left Charles resting in their temporary chambers when he came down for this unpleasant task.

“I’m sorry you still see things that way,” he said honestly. He could only see Shaw as a man to be pitied consumed as he was by his madness. Still, he had to know. “Especially considering that your synthetic bond had a high chance of killing me since I’d already formed a natural bond.” He watched him closely for a response.

“And whose fault was that?” Shaw snapped irritably. “If you could have waited just a few more months we could be expecting our first daughter even now!”

“First? Shaw, I’m half Derrian, what makes you think I could ever bear more than one child even under the best of circumstances?” He finally asked the question that had been bothering him for so long.

Shaw smiled at him condescendingly. “No worries! I’d have kept you alive my sweet. I told you, we had all the time in the universe out there. And I wouldn’t have been stating from nothing, no! I had my father’s research to build upon.”

Erik’s blood ran cold at the thought of how horribly his life could have gone had Charles not come into his life. He looked at the other man one last time. “Goodbye Sebastian.”

 _“Ours will never be a goodbye! This thing between us will never end!”_ his screams echoed down the hall, following Erik on his way out. He didn’t look back.

~~

Erik let himself into their temporary lodgings quietly in case Charles was still asleep. He was in luck to find the other man freshly bathed and just getting dressed for the day.

“How was it? Are you alright?” Charles asked, worried, hurrying to his side. Erik felt a soothing touch brush against his consciousness and he leaned into it gratefully.

“Better now that it’s over,” he said shortly.

“I’m sure,” Charles pulled him down to press a soft kiss to his cheek. “What happens now?”

Erik pulled him to sit on the sofa and draped an arm across his shoulders. “The trial of course. That will only happen when our discussions with the Ragus come to an end. There is a chance they’ll want him handed over as part of a show of good faith.”

The telepath blinked in surprise. “Oh, would the Federation allow that?”

“It depends on how important it is to the Ragus.” He admitted softly. “As we speak, Shaw’s allies and confederates have been arrested and are being interviewed. His former fleet will be restructured and reassigned and hopefully we can learn from this and not allow it to happen again. Corruption at such high levels leads to internal instability just when we need the Federation to be strong.” He said, frowning deeply.

Charles smoothed his palm over his forehead gently, “Don’t fret. We make a great team. We’ll handle it.”

Erik leaned into his touch and pressed a kiss to the soft skin of his palm. “We will won’t we?”

Charles chuckled, “Of course! Besides, I’m sure this will all seem easy compared to raising a kid.” They shared a smile, as Erik pressed his hand to the small mound of Charles’ lower abdomen where tiny flutters were just making themselves known.

Erik looked down into those crystalline eyes, eager to begin the next adventure with the love of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry! this isn't the end! I'm writing a time skip epilogue to show where our characters are in a few years time! Please ask any questions you have or any plot points you'd like to see! I'll be happy to include them! Thank you so much for reading and being supportive during what's been a very hard time in my personal life! XoXxO


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set ten years the future! The End!

_“On this, the tenth anniversary of Earths unconditional surrender we remember those lost in the induction ceremony attacks.”_

**“These demons, these monsters will never break our spirit! They’ll never destroy that which makes humanity superior to all other forms of life! Hear me my brothers and sisters! One day we will live free again!”**

“I love seeing how the world has changed since they arrived! I’m happy to be training to become a member of the Federation Exploratory Service! It’s a dream come true!”

_ “It’s embarrassing that it took so long to get the A.A.S. lowered to fifty percent! I never would have thought it would take so long!” _

**_“They plan to enslave us! You’ll see, they’re lulling us into a false sense of security! Now that we’ve bent the knee we’ll see the true depths of their cruel depravity! Mark my words!”_ **

~~

“Can you believe they’re still so worked up about all this?” Alex laughed as he straightened his uniform cuffs, preparing for the memorial parade.

Armando made a small noise of agreement but was clearly distracted as he had been for the past several days.

“Everything alright?” Alex asked cautiously, knowing his mate liked to come to him in his own time.

“Alex…” he faded out, not sure how to continue.

“Yes?”

“I had my inhibitor removed three months ago,” he said in a rush.

Alex’s mind went blank as he tried to process the other mans words. “What? You _what?_ You’re…ready to…?”

“I guess I better be. Looks like we’re gonna be dads,” he said with a crooked smile.

Alex laughed out loud and pulled him to his chest in a tight hug. “Thank you. _Thank you_ for doing this for me.”

He shrugged, beginning to feel some excitement for this change in their lives. “I’m doing this for us. What can I say? The idea has kind of grown on me.”

“We’ll be great parents! You won’t regret this,” Alex promised, so happy he felt like his chest would burst.

Somehow, Armando believed him.

~~

“And where is he now?” Azazel asked, trying not to sound as irritated as he was. Why did his son have to adventuring while he was responsible for the fleet? Didn’t he have enough on his plate? Apparently not.

“That’s the thing, man. He’s off doing his own thing. Maybe we should let him. He’ll come out when he’s good and ready…or when he’s hungry,” Sean said sagely.

Az had taken to accepting this odd humans word as law. If he was ever wrong, Azazel had yet to see it. He wondered why no one else seemed to notice the abilities of his sanguine friend, but didn’t question it. Sometimes genius bloomed in unexpected places.

“His mother will not be pleased with that answer,” he said shortly.

“Ah. Just don’t mention it. She’ll be busy getting helping Raven with the babies all day. Some good has to come from having them in pairs!” He thought for a moment then snapped his fingers, “I know! Get her some night blooming roses. Preferably purple. With a card that says _For All You Do_. And tell her he’s with me. He’ll turn up,” he said with a cheery smile.”

Azazel cracked a sharp toothed smile. “Remind me never to become your enemy.”

“I don’t have enemies my man!” Sean grinned, “ah, look at the time! Moira and I gotta meeting with some dudes on Genosha Prime. Catch you later?”

“Of course,” he nodded, letting the other man go before grabbing his tablet to search for the flowers he recommended. Sean had never steered him wrong before.

```

He had to laugh later that night when he felt the air displace next to him as he arrived back to their living quarters, hours after an elaborate bouquet had been delivered. Them being him and Kurt who now stood at his side with a bright smile.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that? Never mind! Tell me while we eat!” he charged inside calling for his mother.

Azazel stepped inside to see Mystique looking as beautiful as the day they met, yellow eyes sparkling as she showed their son the flowers. Az hid a smirk. The look in her eyes promised more personal thanks once the boy was asleep for the night.

He made a note on his tablet to give Sean a raise.

~~

_“I pray to God daily for this nightmare to end! So many of the faithful have turned their backs on the Lord and now gladly serve the invaders as false gods!”_

“I never thought I’d be able to have children but…well, Say hi Ben!” {woman laughs, baby babbles in the background}

**“These collaborators aren’t welcome on Earth anymore! We’ll always be waiting to protest them when they want to _pretend to be human!_ Especially those with _half breed offspring_ with ‘abilities’!  It’s not right!”**

“I wish _I_ had super powers haha! I might sign up for one of their research trials and see what happens! My cousin went to them for an experimental cancer treatment well she’s in remission now _and_ can set off sparklers with her hands! How cool is that?!”

_“It’s kind of weird to think about them mating with human you know? But I mean some of them aren’t too bad to look at, so who can say? Would I ever date a Genoshian? Well… aren’t we all Genoshians now?”_

_~~_

Charles groaned to hear the interviews that Edie loved to listen to so much.

She turned to him with bright eyes. “It reminds me of when Derrian was inducted. There was so much trouble over it.” She shook her head at the memories from so long ago. “I seemed we would never have peace.”

“I know how that goes,” he groaned tiredly, leaning forwards to rub his lower back.

“Is the little one paining you?” she asked commiseratively.

“Yes, as per usual.”

“I’m sorry dear. I can’t imagine having to do that more than once.”

“Well I can’t imagine doing it for five years before the baby was full term so I guess we’re even,” he laughed. Edie smiled along. It had taken some getting used to, but apparently, not all species express humor through laughter.

There were other mind blowing differences as well. Charles had been shocked to learn that Edie had been away from her home planet for nearly six hundred years when they met. Apparently extended life spans were something else Erik had failed to share with him. Or, as Erik put it, he thought it was understood. Charles still rolled his eyes at the memory.

“Here they are,” Edie said happily, her sensitive hearing picking up the sounds of the children running down the hall.

She opened the door and stooped her slender six foot form to hug her adopted son- the child of Jason Stryker and his former mate, Svelik.

Jason had categorically refused to accept his pregnancy and had rejected the child at birth. He was still serving his prison term and refused to participate in any communications with Earth or with his son whom Edie had named Svelig, in honor of the traditions of his maternal line.

“Mama, Mama, look what nunka Genlen sent us!” he held up a glowing disk that looked to be made of shatterproof glass.

Edie smiled, “I’m not sure that’s the right word little one.”

“It’s uncle!!” David yelled, charging into the room and into his grandmother’s arms. He was far smaller and slower than his ‘cousin’ but neither boy cared.

“There you are. I thought Grandma Edie and I would have to eat alone,” Charles said with a smile.

“Now who’s being silly? Who ever heard of two growing boys missing a meal?” Edie teased.

Charles had to agree with that. “Let’s head in, the foods all set.”

They made their slow way to the dining room of the villa they were vacationing in off the coast of Spain. Edie was entirely enraptured with the ocean, as Erik had known she would be. And they spent as much time in and around the water as possible.

“Where is papa?” Svelig asked, as he loaded his plate with various nearly raw meats.

“He is in a meeting with Erik and they will be joining us shortly. Chew your food,” Edie said warmly.

“I can’t wait to see papa! I have a secret to tell him!” David cheered.

Charles bit down on a smile, though he knew David still sensed it, “is it your secret to tell?”

He screwed up his face in thought for a long moment, mind whirring. “Kind of?”

_“David.”_

He sighed dramatically, “it’s Aunt Moira’s secret but I know Papa will want to know!”

Edie looked up just as Charles felt his husbands mind wink into the room. “What will I want to know?”

“Auntie Moira is going to have a baby!!” David yelled before Charles could stop him.

“That’s your aunts business to tell,” he said firmly but kindly, having learned firsthand how hard it was to pretend not to know intimate details of the lives of others.

“But she’s happy she waited to have a baby because she gonna have a girl and she dint want to have the first girl on the fleet!” he pouted. “So it is to do with us!”

Charles sighed as the baby pressed her foot into his ribs like she was trying to pop them out of joint. Erik walked past and pressed his hand to the back of Charles’ neck soothingly.

“That’s lucky for her, and for your sister that she’ll have a playmate nearby,” he said happily. He had never- and Charles suspected would never- chastise David for using his telepathy however he pleased.

“She’ll have us!” Svelig announced around a mouthful of blood. Charles grimaced at the sight and felt his stomach turn.

“Close your mouth boy,” Jakob said stiffly. “Mind your manners.”

“Yes, papa,” he said happily, spitting blood as he spoke.

Jakob just sighed and took the empty seat next to his wife, trading fond looks with her as he did so.

Charles was happy to see that the other man had taken Erik’s words about his parenting style into account. Jakob had missed out on a close bond with his first born son and hoped not to repeat the experience.

He was far kinder to Svelig than Charles could have imagined in the first few years of knowing him.

 _~How was your meeting?~_ he asked Erik, taking his hand where it rested on the table.

_~It went well. Lady Frost claims she had a vision and knows of a planet we should explore. She’s never been one for seeing the future but Genlen is excited and is already plotting  a course.~_

_~ How are they doing?~_

_~They who?~_

_~Erik! You know who! The Southern Fleet? Admiral Summers? Emma? How is their bond working out?~_

_~I didn’t ask. If there were problems they’d let me know~_ he said absently as he took a bite of his roast beef.

Charles sighed at his disinterest and made a mental note to call Emma for a chat sometime soon. He wondered if she was expecting as well since he’d learned that telepaths often exhibited the powers of their unborn children as a pregnancy symptom.

He thought back to the strange feeling that he’d communed with Albert on some odd primal level just the day before. Perhaps that was all in his head.

Erik sensed his mate’s displeasure with his answer and decided to change the subject. “How are Alex and Armando?”

“Great! They do an excellent job of handling the issues that arise on Earth. Thank goodness Armando is so level headed. You wouldn’t _believe_ what the Joint Navy got up to in the South China Sea last week.” Charles began happily. Kindly allowing the kids to guess. Neither of them got it right, though not for lack of trying.

Erik sat back and took a deep breath of the warm salt air and looked around at his family all chattering and happier than he could have imagined. Life was surprisingly…nice.

A decade ago he’d come to this little blue planet-closer to midsized if he was feeling generous- to conquer, induct, and move on as he’d done in countless systems before.

He’d still been locked in a strange half competition with Shaw. A Genoshian who should have been as a brother to him, whose perversion and selfish ambition had lead to his ultimate downfall and execution at the hands of the very race he’d attempted to betray the Federation to.

He’d protested his superiority and love for Erik until the very end. It was disturbing, but had helped to make him an outcast. His few devoted followers were serving long prison terms on distant colonies, earning their way back into good societal standing the only way they could.

Instead he’d found his mate and the home he’d like to retire too when it was time to resign his post. He’d made a life and a family for himself. He’d found happiness and come to peace with his past. And now he had a brilliant son and an unprecedented daughter on the way.

He winked at David who was clearly reading his mind and liking what he heard. Yes, life was good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End!! Wow this has been a journey! I have loved writing this story and I'll miss it very much! Thank you so much for reading and sticking with me for so long! Did I leave anything out that you want explained? If its something glaring I'll totally edit this chapter and add it in! Questions, comments, concerns? Comment below, let me know! xx

**Author's Note:**

> Short first chapter! Are you intrigued? More to come soon! Your feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! XOXO!!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Cover art for 'Cosmic Kiss'](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10497783) by [avictoriangirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/avictoriangirl/pseuds/avictoriangirl)




End file.
